Snape's Invisible Friend
by teacherbev
Summary: Winner Oct. 2006 HPAA Best AU: Harry rescues himself as a baby and chooses Snape as his protector, why no one knows because the toddler isn't telling and no one can see him but Snape. No Slash, No Mary Sues, R&R please. PDF, ebook, mobipocket available.
1. Chapter 1: Congratulations! It's a boy!

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher who likes to twist plots and play with characters, so enjoy.

Summary: AU Harry rescues himself as a baby and chooses Snape as his protector, why no one knows, because the toddler isn't telling, and no one can see him but Snape. No spoilers, No Slash, No Mary Sues.

Chapter 1: Congratulations! It's a Boy!

June 1984

Severus Snape was happy. Everyone else had left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the next four weeks, four blissful weeks alone to brew and read to his hearts content. He had been a Professor at Hogwarts teaching dunderheads and imbeciles for the last four years; but life had been too dangerous at first and then too hectic for anyone to take a true vacation.

His first year of teaching had been unbelievably frantic, between teaching classes, spying for Dumbledore, and trying to keep his cover from being blown at death eater meetings. Luckily he never had to go on what Lucius Malfoy liked to call 'revels'. His skills as a potions master were irreplaceable, and much too important to the Dark Lord to jeopardize them torturing muggles, and his distaste for needless torture and especially rape had been well established long before he became a death eater. He had joined because it was inevitable; the sadistic and cold uncle that had taken his mother and him in after the suspicious death of Severus' father would have killed his mother slowly in front of his eyes if he had even tried to say no.

But he had always hated being a Slytherin and hated the dark arts that his Uncle forced him to learn. He had been jealous of the friendships that students in other houses seemed to make so easily. Slytherins had no true friends, they had acquaintances and alliances, easily forged and easily broken when a better opportunity arose. So in his sixth year he had evaluated the situation carefully and then went to Dumbledore; hoping for sanctuary but instead the old man had taught him Occlumency to protect his mind and an opportunity to serve the side of the Light as a spy and something he had never had, the respect and caring of a mentor and friend.

His duties as a death eater were minimal after receiving the dark mark on his seventeenth birthday; finish his final year of Hogwarts and then the six years of training to complete his Masters in Potions. The next year, Dumbledore had encouraged his old potions teacher to retire and Severus had been perfect to fill the opening. Voldemort was pleased to have the opportunity to place a spy so close to the only wizard he truly feared and Severus was protected from the worst of the death eater activities. And then the fateful evening of Halloween, his second year of teaching, Baby Potter had removed Voldemort from his physical body.

Severus had no illusions; he knew the dark and evil rituals and potions that Voldemort had employed in his quest for immortality. He just hoped no one ever figured out how to give the evil spirit that was the dark lord another physical body any time soon.

The rest of that year and the next two school years had been so hectic and frantic, first he had been thrown into Azkaban and only Dumbledore's insistence and unyielding fight for him had even allowed the farce the ministry called a trial. He had finally been proven innocent but the nightmares of that place would probably haunt him for years.

The death eater trials were finally over; of course if you were wealthy enough or had enough highly placed friends, it was easy to convince the court that you had been under the _imperious_ curse, Severus gave a harsh barking laugh, Malfoy could have shown up in his full death eater robes, a dead muggle in each hand and that fool of a Minister would have let him go!

But after almost three years since that Halloween night, for the first time, the teachers and staff of Hogwarts had felt it was safe enough and past time enough to leave the school for the first vacation many of them had had in years. And that left him free to remain in the castle all alone for most of the time. Professor Sprout would return once or twice a week for a few hours to tend to her greenhouses, and that oaf Hagrid would be out in his shack, but other than that, the castle was his, well, his and about 100 house elves, twenty odd ghosts, and who knew how many wandering portraits.

* * *

Severus selected his ingredients with care and precision. He finally had time to work on a potion that would allow a werewolf to keep his mind when he transformed during the full moon. He had always been terrified of werewolves, probably because that bastard of his uncle had always threatened to leave him out in the forests of Snape Manor on a full moon if he misbehaved in any way. Then that idiot Sirius Black had sent him after the werewolf Lupin in his fifth year, Merlin save him from idiot Gryffindors!

He had been thinking for years of ways to make it safer around werewolves, he had just never had the time with his other duties to really experiment. He had worked with Lupin for the last four years before the Dark Lord's downfall, as a fellow member of the Order of the Phoenix, fighting in secret against the Dark Lord, and had come to begrudgingly respect the man. He still scared him, but Lupin had volunteered to be a human, well guinea pig didn't really work, but tester.

Severus lit the fire under his favorite cauldron, set out a new quill, parchment and a full bottle of ink. Wolfsbane potion, variation number one he began…

* * *

The toddler knew he was hated, he wasn't sure just why, he just knew that Dudley was loved and he wasn't. He wasn't sure exactly what his name was; it was perhaps Freak, Boy, or maybe It, as in "_What are we doing with It while we go to the store_? Or… _What did It do now_?" But whatever his name was, it was never spoken in a soft voice or a caring manner, always yelled, or hissed, or even spit at times.

He sat in the dark, smelly and spider filled cupboard under the stairs and played with his hands. He spent a lot of time by himself there and had discovered over a year ago that if he thought hard enough; he could make his hands glow with light so he wasn't afraid and alone in the dark any more. He had begun sneaking old books of Dudley's in with him, that slug would never miss them and now that he was almost four, he could read all of them and in fact had moved on to the magazines that his Aunt threw away.

He knew he was almost four because Dudley was having his fourth birthday party today and he wasn't. There had been a couple of times when old Mrs. Figg couldn't watch him so his Aunt had been forced to take him with her to the store and he had heard Aunt Petunia answering some neighbor that 'Yes, It was her nephew' and then 'Dudley and the Boy were the same age', so if Dudley was turning four, then so was he.

He made a small ball of light appear in his left hand and tossed it easily to his right hand as he made another ball appear in his left hand. He had gotten up to juggling four balls together before he couldn't manage any more and was actually feeling fairly proud of his accomplishment. He had learned a long time ago to make sure that no light or sound ever escaped his cupboard or his aunt would scream at him, or worse, his uncle would 'punish him'.

He hadn't heard any sounds in quite a while so maybe everyone was gone to the play park where Dudley was having his party. He wasn't sure what exactly a play park was, except for the pictures he had seen in Dudley's books or the magazines he filched out of the trash. He knew his aunt would be looking in his cupboard soon, she did that about twice a year, he wasn't sure why; but he knew he would have to find some way to keep his aunt from finding his reading material.

He sifted on his very sore bottom. He wished that the fat lump, Dudley, learned to be potty trained soon. He, of course, couldn't learn anything before her precious Dudley, so he was stuck wearing a smelly, soggy nappy that she only changed twice a day, once in the morning, once in the evening. He of course knew perfectly well how to use a toilet, it wasn't that hard after all, but he never had the opportunity with his aunt and cousin in the house all the time.

He pushed the pain of his cracking, and bleeding diaper rash away from his consciousness and concentrated on the problem of his aunt finding his books. He didn't want to put them back in Dudley's second bedroom, it was too hard to sneak up the stairs and then sneak something back down, and he was rather fond of the magazines he had now, especially the food ones. He thought for a moment and wondered what it would be like to taste something besides toast, celery and water. He occasionally got very brown bananas and sometimes old cheese and meat, but none of that really tasted like he imagined the pictures of food would.

So if he didn't want to get rid of his books, how could he keep his aunt from finding them? There was nowhere to hide anything in the small cupboard, he had two small shelves to keep Dudley's old clothes on and his small dirty cot with a blanket that had the initials HJP stitched on one corner. Where could he hide them so his aunt didn't see them? Wait, he didn't have to hide them, he just had to make sure she didn't _see_ them. She never actually came _into_ the cupboard after all; she just looked in from the hall. He put a small book on his lap and with all his might he concentrated on making it invisible.

It took him the better part of a week, but he could finally make his books and magazines invisible now. He smiled happily to himself, proud that he could have something of his own that his cousin couldn't steal away from him. He made the three plastic soldiers he had taken out of the trash after his aunt had thrown them away invisible too. He looked around the small space, his hand glowing so he could see, and was satisfied.

* * *

His aunt called him out as usual after his uncle had left for work and told him to eat his piece of toast and half of a banana that Dudley hadn't finished. He was then told to empty every trashcan in the house. He finished his food and headed up to start in Dudley's bedroom, it was always the messiest and so he liked to carry it down first.

But today Dudley wasn't playing over at his friend Piers' house as he thought. Dudley was waiting in the upstairs bathroom for him to go past carrying the full trashcan. Dudley put out his foot out at the top of the stairs and then for good measure, he pushed his fat hand into the middle of his cousin's back and gave him a hard shove.

He fell, tumbling over the full and sharp edges of the square trash can, banging his head painfully on the walls and the steps, and catching his right arm in the banisters before it released with a sharp crack of bone breaking. He came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs by shattering a very large, ceramic pot that used to hold a small decorative tree. He was now covered in sharp splinters of glass, hundreds of cuts with sharp edges imbedded in his bleeding flesh, and a mound of dirt with a cracked and splintered tree on top of him. He knew his right arm was broken, but he wasn't sure about anything else. He knew he hurt all over, and the hurt would only get worse when his uncle came home after work.

Petunia came out of the kitchen at the noise and started screaming, "Look what you did you nasty Boy! How dare you destroy my property after we took you in, Freak! I don't have time to waste with you cleaning it up; my bridge club will be here in an hour." She grabbed him by his unbroken left arm and literally threw him into the cupboard. Dudley was laughing hysterically at what he had managed to do to the stupid freak.

Petunia stopped beside his cupboard door as she walked past with the broom and dustpan, "You just wait until your Uncle gets home, Freak! He'll teach you to destroy my favorite tree you worthless waste of space. Too bad you didn't die with your worthless parents, they were Freaks too!" She banged the broom handle on the door in emphasis and went to clean up the mess.

* * *

Everything had gone black when he hit his head on the wall after his aunt had thrown him in his cupboard, but now he wished he could return to the blackness. At least it hadn't hurt. He knew when his uncle came home; he would be soundly beaten and locked in again. He idly wondered how long it would be without food this time, though he really wasn't hungry. His head was spinning, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

He wrapped his beloved blanket tightly around himself and started rocking back and forth, "I wish I had someone to care for me,…I wish I was someplace safe…someplace my uncle could never find me…someone who could make my arm and my head stop hurting…someplace I would always be safe…"

No one saw the flash of white as the tiny boy disappeared from No. 4 Privet Drive through the concealing spells in place around the tiny cupboard. And no one heard the crack he made as he disappeared around the silencing spell he had unknowingly cast. And because he had left willingly, no alarm on the wards sounded, no one knew the boy was gone.

* * *

Severus Snape had just cast '_evanesco'_ on the cauldron he had been brewing his last mess in. He wasn't sure what it would have done, but it sure wouldn't do anything for a werewolf, except perhaps turn its hair pink.

He turned and dropped the pewter stirring stick he had in his hand at the loud crack and the flash of white light that had shone for just a fraction of a second behind him. It didn't sound like the noise of a house elf and no one else could apperate into or dis-apperate out of Hogwarts.

He fell to one knee in front of the bleeding and badly battered baby that had appeared in his lab. The poor child had hold of a very dirty blanket that looked as if it had once been blue but was now mostly dirty grey and brown. The child stank as if it hadn't been changed in days or bathed in months. Severus could tell at a glance that the right arm and possibly the left leg were broken and the toddler was bleeding from hundreds of small cuts, many with small sharp fragments of glass visible in the flickering torch light.

He reached his hand out and the baby flinched back; a wary look of fear in its face. "I won't hurt you child, I just want to help you. I need to pick you up to help you. I will try not to hurt you but I must move you from here." He was keeping his voice soft and soothing as he moved carefully and slowly toward the frightened baby. He guessed from the size of the child that the baby was about two, perhaps a month or two more, but no older than that. And he had absolutely no experience with anyone younger than eleven. He though frantically, 'I am alone in the castle; there is no one here for another three weeks, except Hagrid and he would be no help at all. Well, there's nothing else I can do, I'll have to care for him myself.'

He continued to talk softly and calmly to the child, inching forwards, waiting for the panic and fear to leave the baby's face. He finally reached out and gently touched one shoulder. The baby involuntarily flinched, but remained calm and allowed the contact to continue. "That's good, child, well, I don't even know if you are a boy or a girl, I don't suppose you talk much yet do you. You couldn't tell me how you came to be so hurt, or even what your name is could you, child?"

He picked the child up as gently as he could, being very careful to not touch the damaged arm and leg, he couldn't help touching the cuts, but the baby never made a sound, even though Severus knew it must be terribly painful, and there was no way he could have picked up the baby without digging in splinters of glass. He summoned a vial of pain potion that he had made laced with a mild sleeping agent. It should be mild enough for the child; he estimated it weighed no more than one and a half stone, yes, most likely just a two year old. 'Merlin, what had happened to it and how had it wound up here?'

_(AN: a stone is fourteen pounds for us Americans, I personally always give my weight it stones, it sounds so much better!)_

He urged the child cradled gently in his arms to sip the potion, thinking that a small sip or two would probably be enough for one as light as this child. He wished again that Poppy Pomfrey was here, but thrust that thought from his mind, it was no good to wish, nothing would change. He finally convinced the child to drink a couple swallows, and as soon as the even breathing and the limpness of its body told him it was asleep, he headed for his potions supply room. He held it cradled in the crook of his left arm and gently washed off its right arm with a soft flannel he had conjured before applying a bone re-growth potion to the tiny arm. He didn't dare give it Skele-gro before reading up if it was safe for one so young, he vaguely remembered that the potion wasn't to be given to anyone under the age of ten, but he wasn't positive.

He used his wand to check over the rest of the baby. Ah, he breathed out a sigh, the left leg wasn't broken after all, but the ligaments around its knee were ripped. He rubbed in the appropriate potion and finding only a concussion and the hundreds of cuts left, he began the meticulous, slow job of removing the glass shards. He would Accio a fragment and then the next, and then the next. It had taken over two hours of careful work but he could find no other glass. He left the stock room, still cradling the bundle in his arms and headed for his bathroom.

He summoned several big towels and a soft blanket before running a bath only 6 inches deep into his big tub. He knelt on the floor and gently laid his bundle down on the blanket. He removed the disgusting nappy and almost gagged. Cracked and bleeding with open ulcers, he knew he would have to treat the boy's bottom for quite some time to completely heal him. And yes he definitely was a 'him'. Well, that was one of his hundreds of questions answered.

He lifted the boy, blanket and all and laid him in the tepid bath. He gently cleaned the boy, careful of his cuts and bruises as best he could. He had to change the bath water three times before the water ran clean. Leaving the filthy blanket in the tub for the house elves, he wrapped the boy up and took him to lay him down upon his bed. "Nippy!" he called the house elf he had brought with him from Snape Manor to assist him and to help sometimes with his potions.

"How can Nippy help, Master Sn…?" the little creature's eyes goggled at the sight that greeted him.

"Go to Hogsmeade and bring me back nappies for a child about two, I would guess about one and a half stone, no more than two. I also need about three outfits for a child about two years old, again no more than two stone. Ask the clerk for help, tell her they must be soft and comfortable; the child has been injured and will be wearing them in bed and around indoors. I will take the child later to purchase more items. He will also need socks and undershirts, its cold here in the dungeons. I have a money bag on my dresser, no one would believe I have a child here so don't bother trying to charge it to my account. I also need some small toys and maybe some books to read to him when he wakes up. Go Nippy and hurry, please." Nippy nodded at Master Snape and taking the money bag he popped out to do his Master's bidding.

Severus had rubbed in healing ointments and got the child to swallow a few more sips of potions by the time Nippy returned carrying several large bags. Severus asked Nippy to fetch his strongest healing balm from the storage room and then asked the old elf to help him apply it to the ulcers and cracks in the child's diaper area. Severus couldn't help feeling a little nauseous at thinking about the pain the child must live with and how long he had been in such pain to have such suppurating sores, especially in such tender areas.

It had taken all afternoon, but the boy was now healed as well as he knew how, diapered and dressed in warm footed pajamas and quietly sleeping in a large box that Nippy had found. Severus had lined it with the softest sheepskin and covered the boy in a feather light but warm angora wool blanket that Nippy had seen in the shop and purchased for the child. Nippy knew his Master Snape would not mind him buying the blanket, perhaps his master had just forgotten to have him buy it when he was telling him what he would need.

Nippy was now watching the young master while Master Snape slept in the big bed beside him. He was to wake his Master if the child started to wake up, but they both needed to sleep and Nippy was happy to do this for Master Snape's new child.

* * *

He felt like he was floating in air, he didn't hurt; even the pain in his bottom was much less than he could remember it being in a long time. He felt cradled and warm with something soft and fluffy under him. He knew he wasn't in his cupboard any more, he had never had anything comfortable to lie on and his aunt had never given him a pillow or a soft fuzzy blanket that didn't smell bad. He sighed, not wanting the comfortable feeling to go away, which he was afraid it would if he woke up. But he finally couldn't sleep any longer. He opened one eye. A ceiling, no spiders, it looked like a huge bed, much bigger than his aunt and uncle's beside him. Soft colors, clean smells, he definitely wasn't in his cupboard! His hand rubbed the soft blanket that covered him, the other hand exploring the knobby feeling of the clean, warm pajamas that hugged him in comfort. He pushed himself back into the floaty stuff behind him and opened the other eye, looking directly into two big round eyes, pointed floppy ears and a big squashed looking nose. He couldn't help himself, he screamed. The tall, skinny man from his dream moved off the big bed and started toward him, he cringed and looked for somewhere to hide but the man was too quick.

Severus woke to a blood curdling scream that jolted him instantly awake. He was up and halfway out of his bed before he remembered the child in the box beside him. He reached down and instinctively picked up the child, cradling him to his chest, rocking him and soothing him as he vaguely remembered his father doing to him. "Shh, child, it's all right. You're safe here; no one's going to hurt you any more. Its okay child, I won't let you be hurt." Severus hadn't wanted to believe, but the more he had treated the child the more he knew that his injuries weren't accidental. There were just too many and there were fresh ones on top of partially healed ones. The baby had been badly abused and neglected for quite some time.

* * *

He had never been held or rocked or felt so safe before, well, at least not that he could remember. His aunt always told him he should have died with his worthless parents so he assumed that at one time he had had parents who loved him. It was what he dreamed of at night, particularly when he hurt too badly to sleep.

As the dark haired man rocked him, he eventually relaxed and curled into the embrace, until he turned and saw that THING again, he hadn't been dreaming, there it was again! He tensed and started to cry again when the man told him, "That's okay, this is Nippy. He's a house elf; I guess by your reaction, that you have never seen one before, so we can rule out several families by that. Maybe you aren't the child of a wizarding family, perhaps you are a much abused muggle born, and that might explain some of your treatment if you were already showing signs of magic. It doesn't make it better, mind you, but it might explain it."

He knew he was talking mostly to himself, but the boy seemed to quietly relax as he listened to his soothing voice. He continued to talk to the boy, telling him about himself and where they were until the child's even breathing and the growing weight on his arm told him the child was asleep once more. He laid him gently back into the box and covered him up, brushing a lock of coal black hair back from the terribly bruised and cut forehead. He idly hoped the cuts wouldn't scar, but it looked like the child had landed face first into something made of glass.

* * *

The next morning Severus came instantly awake, remembering the odd occurrences of the previous afternoon and evening. He rolled over on his bed and cautiously looked over the edge, being very careful to move slowly and non threateningly. Two startling green eyes looked back at him, the expression much too old for a face so angelically young. The bruises on the boy's face had turned a lovely shade of purplish green, the cuts scabbed and healing. Unfortunately it looked like several of the deeper cuts; especially the two above his right eye were going to scar. Well, at least his hair would mostly cover them and they would fade from the ugly bright red they were now.

He slowly let the boy see his hands, and then reached slowly and carefully toward the toddler, sliding one arm under his back and the other one under his knees. The child stiffened, but allowed him to pick him up. "Hello, little one, are you feeling better today? We need to go and get you changed and cleaned up before I can put more healing salve on your bottom. It may take a few days to completely go away, but I'm sure it already feels a lot better. Too bad you can't tell me who you are, child."

He took a big chance and decided to talk to the man, after all, the man had been talking to him since yesterday and he hadn't yelled once, and he _had_ made him feel a lot better. He supposed it was the man who had made his arm and his head better, and given him such a wonderful bed and new clothes that actually fit him. He looked up at the man, wide eyed and said softly, "Freak, my name is Freak."

Severus stopped walking and felt like his heart stopped. Who named their child Freak? That couldn't be right, maybe he heard the boy wrong, "Are you sure that's your name, child, surely your mummy calls you something else."

The little boy was exceptionally good at reading body language, so he knew the man was angry, even if his words were still soft and gentle, he thought again, well, he hadn't been sure that was his name, after all his aunt and uncle called him It or Boy just as much. He bit his lip in nervousness, "It?" But the man didn't seem to like that answer any better. He decided he would just stay quiet; the man seemed to like that the best. He buried his head in the man's chest and shivered.

Severus felt the small body start to quake in fear, and hurriedly sat into a soft armchair, stroking the small head that was currently buried in his robes. "It's okay, I can continue to call you child if you like, I'm not mad at you. I just don't like what your mummy calls you, its all right. Its all right, no one is going to hurt you, I will keep you safe here, child"

Child nodded his head and looked up at the man, "My name is Child, what's your name?" Severus looked startled, maybe he was wrong about the child being just two, but he didn't know maybe the child was just a precocious speaker, "My name is Severus Snape but you may call me Severus. If you can manage that, it can be difficult to pronounce."

"Sev-e-wus, no Sev-rr-us, Severus, thank you Severus." The small boy struggled to pronounce the name correctly. Severus smiled and softly laughed. Child liked the way it made his head bob softly against his Severus' chest. Severus gave the boy a soft hug and lifted him easily to continue on their way to the bathroom to clean up.

* * *

Severus had stripped the boy and given him another warm bath, this time with him awake and sitting up on the soft towel that cushioned his still ulcerated bottom on the tub. Severus gently leaned him back to wash his hair and the boy stiffened in terror, scratching at the hands holding him and trying like a small animal to escape. "What's wrong, child? I was just going to wash your hair."

"No hold me under so I can't breathe? No water in my nose?"

"Oh no, child, never, and tell me if I scare you, I will stop anytime you tell me to. Just say stop and I will." Severus couldn't imagine the horrors this defenseless child had survived.

"Okay, then wash my hair is okay." There was a small quaver in the brave words, but Severus was proud of the child for trying to swallow his fears and allow something that obviously terrified him. He just ran warm water over the back of the boy's head, being careful not to even get the cuts on his forehead wet. No shampoo as yet, that could wait for another day.

Severus had forgotten to bring clean clothes and a nappy into the bathroom, so he left the boy sitting on the floor wrapped in the large, warm towel. He left the door open so the child could watch him the whole way and talked to him so he would know where he was at all times. He was surprised to find the child sitting on the toilet doing his morning business when he returned. "Why were you wearing a nappy if you are toilet trained?" he asked in amazement. The child just shrugged as he finished and climbed down carefully.

Severus looked at him in astonishment, "Well, I will have to put a nappy on you for now to hold the salve on your skin since I didn't have Nippy buy underclothes for you. But you may tell me when you need to use the toilet; it will make the sores on your bottom heal much faster. Is that all right, child?"

Child nodded and helped Severus dress him and then waited on a soft sofa reading a child's book while Severus took his shower and dressed for the day. Child got very bored with the book quickly and moved over to the large bookshelves in the corner beside a huge fireplace. He could only reach the bottom two shelves, but there were plenty of interesting choices there. He picked out one about gardening and went back to the sofa to begin reading. Aunt Petunia's gardening magazines never had plants as fascinating as these in them!

* * *

Severus dressed quickly and after running a comb through his long wet hair, he tied it back out of his way. He dropped the two sets of dirty night clothes in the hamper for the elves and made his way out to where he had left the child reading in the lounge. He stopped at the sight of the toddler 'reading' his old first year herbology text. He forgot how frightened the child was, and said louder than he meant to, "What are you reading?"

The child dropped the book, stood up quickly off the couch and with a soft cry of despair ran to the bedroom. Severus cursed silently to himself. He knew how skittish the child was likely to be; he would just have to really watch his tone and what he said. He walked softly and yet loud enough for his footfalls to be heard. He certainly didn't want to sneak up on the boy.

"It's okay, child, I don't care what book you look at, it just surprised me that you liked that one. It's fine child, I won't hurt you. Come out now, Nippy has breakfast for us, and I know you must be hungry; you didn't eat anything yesterday night except potions. Come out now and after we eat, we can look at that book together, would you like that, child?"

Child looked around the corner of the wardrobe door and watched the man for a moment. His face wasn't purple, his hands weren't fisted, and he wasn't pinching his lips together like Aunt Petunia, maybe he wasn't mad after all. He was hungry, he hadn't had anything the day before he had come here either. Maybe he could have some old cheese with his toast and water. Or even a banana? He climbed out of the bottom of the wardrobe and quietly stood in the middle of the room, carefully head down, no eye contact, waiting for the man to make the first move.

He wasn't expecting hands to sweep him up and cradle him in warm, strong arms. And he certainly wasn't expecting a nice feeling hug. Severus talked to him softly again as he carried him into a small dining area off the lounge. "Here we go, child, I expect you will need to have a taller chair though." Severus took a funny looking stick out of his sleeve and waved it at the chair, and the chair, …it grew….taller…! Child looked wide eyed, the man could do magic like he could, he had never seen anyone else do things that he could do, but why did the man need the funny stick?

Severus mistook the boy's expression and began to explain, "Child, I am a wizard, and this is a magical castle, a school for magical children like you, only older than you. You had to have used magic to get here so you are a wizard too, and when you are eleven years old you can come here to learn magic too."

Child looked at him as he was put down on the magic chair, "Magic school? I have to be eleven to stay here?"

Severus misunderstood the child's question; he thought he was being asked if he would attend school at the age of eleven, when he was being asked if he had to be eleven years old to stay with Severus. So Severus answered the question he thought he had been asked, "Yes, child, when you are eleven years old the Headmaster and the Professors bring the children here to learn to control their magic and learn to be witches and wizards."

Child let Severus give him a small portion of soft scrambled eggs and a glass of icy cold milk. Child thought he had gone to heaven. Severus gave them to him so they were okay, and he encouraged him to eat them, he hadn't let him take one bite and then grab it away like Dudley did sometimes, so he thought as he slowly ate, savoring each bite of the most wonderful meal he had ever had.

If he had to be eleven to stay in the school, then he would make sure no one ever saw him until he was old enough to stay. He would hide just like he had hid his books and toy soldiers from Aunt Petunia. He just needed to practice carefully so he could learn to do it. Severus had told him it would be two more weeks before anyone else returned to the castle, so he had two whole weeks to figure it out. He could do it he promised himself as he finished the glass of the most wonderful drink he had ever had!

* * *

Severus had left the child with Nippy when he went to Diagon Alley to purchase supplies for the new school year; he also bought clothes, shoes, and many more items for child. He really had to start calling the boy something else; he wished he knew who he was. He had been scanning the Daily Prophet every day for a story about a missing child, he had made discreet inquiries among everyone he knew, but so far no one was missing a two year old.

He couldn't resist the tiny toy broom he had shrunk and stuffed into his pocket. He had also bought a selection of books for the boy. It had surprised him that morning after breakfast when the boy had brought him the beginning herbology book and then had begun to read it aloud to him. Surely the boy wasn't two, maybe he had been starved, and he certainly loved to eat as if he had been. No matter what was placed in front of him, he ate it as if it was the finest thing he had ever tasted.

But to read like that, he must be a lot older, and Severus thought he was small, but he wasn't a dwarf or a midget, and he tested out as fully human. Oh well, Madame Pomfrey would be able to tell him exactly how old the child was when she returned in three more days with the rest of the staff.

* * *

Severus would never admit it to anyone, not even himself, but he enjoyed having the boy shadow him. He was always within sight, never talking much, quietly reading or playing with the toys that Nippy and Severus had brought for him. Severus had gotten into the habit of talking almost constantly to the child, soothing him and telling him all about the potions he was working on. He told him about ingredients, brewing methods, what each potion was used for and how the ingredients worked together.

He had found the child could read and understand beautifully, but he had no math skills at all, so he had been teaching him in the evenings. The child had progressed from simple counting, to more complicated additions. At the rate he was learning, they would be beginning subtraction soon after school started. Severus was beginning to dread the return of his colleagues and the beginning of school. What if someone knew who the child belonged to? Would they take him away from him? Surely they wouldn't return him to the care of those who had abused and neglected him? Well, there was little he could do about that, he would just enjoy the time he had with the child.

* * *

The child adored his toy broomstick and flew it carefully around their quarters and then up and down the long halls, never making a sound, but the smile on his face was precious to the dark haired man watching the obvious delight on the boy's face. It was the first time he had seen a genuine smile grace that small face. Unfortunately the rest of the staff would be returning tomorrow and he didn't want to have to share the child with anyone. He didn't want them to take him away; he wanted to keep the small boy who was beginning to melt his heart.

* * *

Severus had kept the boy in his quarters with him all morning, but he knew he would have to greet the others in the Great Hall for the lunch time staff meeting. And he wasn't looking forward to the fuss the others would make about the boy. He would have to warn them about how skittish he was, and how easily frightened he was. Surely they would understand how horribly the boy had been abused, for Merlin's sake the boy could read like a first year, but thought his name was Freak! You didn't get much more emotionally abused than that, that horrendous diaper rash that had just finally gone away was evidence of gross neglect, and the broken arm and hundreds of cuts, including the two new large scars across the boy' forehead were enough evidence of physical abuse to put the perpetrator in Azkaban. And Severus was more than willing to turn the boy's parents in himself, if he ever found out who they were!

* * *

Severus knew the child was walking directly behind him, he could feel the small hand grasping the back of his robes in a death grip. He had never been able to get the child to hold his hand, he was still too scared to be touched like that, but that was okay. Severus took a deep breath, pushed open the door to the Great Hall and entered; his shadow right behind him. He walked up to the head table and stood in front of Albus. He could no longer feel the small hand, so as he asked the Headmaster, "Do you know who this child is, Albus?" as he turned around to pick up the small child and found nothing. The child had simply disappeared!

* * *

AN: Is this an interesting premise, shall I continue? This will not be a Super/Harry or a Severitis. I am just going on the premise that even a snarky Snape would not be intentionally cruel to an abused baby. And Snape had only been teaching four years when this story begins. 


	2. Chapter 2: Hide and Seek With Snape

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher who likes to twist plots and play with characters, so enjoy.

AN: Author's profile has been updated with information about this story and answers to some questions posed in the reviews. Please read my profile to find out my basic premise of this story. Thank you for your encouragement. I was blown away by the response to Chapter One, it inspired me to update so quickly!

Chapter 2: Hide and Seek With Snape

From Chapter 1:

_Severus knew the child was walking directly behind him, he could feel the small hand grasping the back of his robes in a death grip. He had never been able to get the child to hold his hand, he was still too scared to be touched like that, but that was okay. Severus took a deep breath, pushed open the door to the Great Hall and entered; his shadow right behind him. He walked up to the head table and stood in front of Albus. He could no longer feel the small hand, so as he asked the Headmaster, "Do you know who this child is, Albus?" as he turned around to pick up the small child and found nothing. The child had simply disappeared!_

* * *

Snape continued his turn looking all around him; he twisted back and looked under the tail of his long frock coat, thinking the child might have hidden under his robes. No child there. He got down on one knee and looked to the right and then to the left, under the long house tables; no one in sight. He stood back up and looked quizzically at the head table, "Where did he go? He was right behind me; I could feel his hand on my robe!"

For the first time in many years, Albus Dumbledore was completely baffled and let it show on his aged face. "Who Severus? There is no one with you, and I saw no one enter with you, holding onto your robe or otherwise." The rest of the staff was looking equally confused, but also very amused at the normally stoic potion's master.

"A young boy, he's about a stone and a half, well, a little more now since he's been eating better, he's about so high," He bent over and indicated a height just above his knees, "Surely someone saw where he went?" Severus continued to look around the Great Hall in puzzlement. "He hasn't let me out of his sight since he showed up! Nippy!"

The old elf appeared at his master's call with a sharp pop, and bowed slightly, "Yes, Master Snape, how can Nippy help, sir?"

Snape knelt down on one knee and asked the elf, "Have you seen the child this afternoon? I need you to check back in my quarters and the lab to see if he has managed to pop himself back there. Check around here in the Great Hall first to see if you can sense where he went first, please." Nippy nodded and carefully walked around the perimeter of the Great Hall, sniffing the air for magic as he went. He was walking down the front of the long staff table, when he felt something grab him from under the table cloth. Young Master was trembling and near to collapsing in fright, so Nippy popped them back to Master Snape's quarters to help Young Master calm down.

"Nippy, you have to help me. If the other's see me they will make me go back. You _must_ help me hide from them. I can't go back!" Nippy and all the house elves knew how the child had been abused and neglected at wherever location he came from, and they were outraged at the treatment that the shy boy had been given. Nippy called for Ogden, the Hogwarts Head House Elf. Ogden popped into sight, and Nippy bowed to him.

"Young Master Snape will be sent back to awful people if anyone but Master Snape sees him. He orders me to help him hide, but I cannot do it without your help."

Ogden raised his wrinkled hand, "We must protect Young Master, we will do all that we can. You return to Master Snape and inform him Young Master is eating in his quarters and you will watch him and put him down for a nap. Master Snape can eat and attend his meeting without Young Master. I will teach Young Master the house elf secrets so that no one may see or hear him without his permission. Go now, Nippy and tell your Master, that Young Master shall be kept safe."

Nippy kissed the old elf's hand in gratitude and popped out. Ogden looked at the scared boy and reassured him, "We will keep you safe, child. No one will take you away from Master Snape and the castle. But I must teach you two things to keep you safe, are you willing to learn from a house elf?"

The boy bit at his bottom lip; but nodded solemnly at the creature, somehow knowing instinctively that the house elves could be trusted not to return him, and to help him keep safe.

* * *

Albus had managed to get Severus to walk up to his office and to explain exactly what was going on. He had told the younger man that they could do nothing until they knew the full story, and had heard back from Nippy. He reassured Severus, that the other staff members were looking for the child, as well as the portraits. He had poured Severus a mug of hot tea, laced it with a calming potion, and then sat back, his elbows on his desk, fingers intertwined, and an expression of interest upon his face. "Now, child, tell me all about this young boy." It was gently spoken, but it was a command never the less.

Severus took a deep swallow of his tea and began, "Three weeks ago, I was cleaning up after a failed experiment when I heard a loud crack and saw a flash of white light behind me. When I turned around, there was a baby; sitting wrapped in an old filthy blanket on the floor behind me. He was bleeding from hundreds of small cuts; I couldn't even see his face under the blood and dirt. I could see his right arm was broken, and I thought his left leg was too, but I found out later, he just had torn ligaments in his left knee, and it was dislocated. I knelt down to pick him up, but he flinched back, so I stopped and started talking to him. I didn't know if it was a boy or a girl at that point, he was too filthy and bloody. He finally allowed me to approach; I got a pain draft mixed with a sleeping potion into him and then healed his arm and leg, and then removed hundreds of tiny shards of glass from his face, scalp and body."

"When I took him into the bathroom to get him cleaned up, I found him wearing a disgusting nappy that looked like it hadn't been changed in days; his bottom and privates were ulcerated and bleeding. I've smelled torture chambers that made me gag less! It took three changes of bath water to get the filth off of him! I sent Nippy to Hogsmeade to fetch some clothing and nappies, also some soft bedding."

"Nippy was watching him while I slept for a while, I had lined a big box with sheepskin to protect his skin, and he was on the floor right beside my bed. Apparently he woke up and saw Nippy, because he screamed. I know now he had never seen a house elf, and when I made a chair taller the next morning to feed him he had never seen magic before. I don't think he was ever fed much either, he still eats like it's the most wonderful experience in the world. I've never seen a child savor and make each bite last as long as he does! I finally got him calm enough to ask him his name and he said, 'Freak, my name is Freak'!"

Severus slumped, putting his head down in his hands as he regained his composure. He looked through the curtain of his black hair at his mentor to see him angry and upset. He lifted his head and continued, "I mean, Albus, who names their child **_Freak_**? What kind of a monster starves a child; leaves them bleeding and raw and then doesn't heal a broken arm, for Merlin's sake!"

He sighed and took several calming breaths, "Well, he's been following me around for the last three weeks, he doesn't talk much, but he reads very well, probably as well as a child of seven or eight, I found him struggling to understand my first year herbology text the first day, so I bought him some primary children's books and have been teaching him math every night. He follows me everywhere and drinks up everything I say to him, but it's mostly like I am talking to myself, I know he understands me, but it's like he's afraid to make a noise or ask a question. I honestly don't know how old he is, but I suspect he's much older than his size would indicate."

Nippy popped in to the Headmaster's office, and bowed to Severus, "Master Snape, sir, the child is eating in your quarters and then Nippy will put him down to sleep. He is safe and sound. Nippy will watch over him while Master has his meeting, sir."

Severus leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes in relief, "Thank you Nippy. I will return later, but come and get me if he needs anything, please." Nippy nodded and left once again.

Albus sat in silence for several minutes before opening a drawer in his desk and pulling out an immense book. He opened the thick parchment pages and began speaking, mostly to himself as he explained his idea to Severus, "He is obviously a magical child or he couldn't have gotten to your quarters. I may be wrong but I believe; that this was an example of very strong wish magic. Most children wish for a toy or a favorite food as their first manifestation of magic, but I believe the child's extreme condition and need forced his magic to manifest at a very young age and very powerfully to protect himself. I would assume you believe his condition and treatment to be long term and very abusive?" He continued to turn pages in the massive documents as he noted Severus' nod of agreement. Those injuries, the child's stature and the presence of ulcers as well as the boy's extreme behavior all confirmed the long term nature of the abuse.

"Ah, here we go! You believe him to be older than two, but very small for his age, not from a magical family and so probably a muggle born child since he had never seen magic. Well, we have nine muggle born children that are between two and three, and another six between the ages of three and four. My registry book is broken up by year starting, so it lists all the children that will be eleven on September the 1st together."

He turned another page, "And seven that are between four and five. Hm, that makes a total of twenty-two children the right age, he is definitely a boy, so that leaves … just ten possibilities among the muggle born. I can send out Minerva and Arabella Figg as their cat animagus forms are very good for discrete observations. If they each check five of the names, we should soon find the one that is missing. If that is all right with you, Severus?"

Severus was speechless, he hadn't even thought of checking the magical registry of children that would be eligible to attend Hogwarts. He stopped himself from actually stuttering as he acquiesced, "Certainly Albus, I will be pleased to know his actual name, plus we can bring charges of abuse against his parents. I would like to file for custody of the boy if at all possible, sir."

"Good, good, I suspected that you might, my son. Now, let's gather everyone so we can begin our meeting and then get Minerva and Arabella off and checking for a missing boy." He clapped the younger wizard on the back and led him out the door heading back for their interrupted meeting.

* * *

Back in his quarters, the boy in question was listening to Ogden the head house elf of Hogwarts. "Young Master, this knowledge is not to be shared, not even with Master Snape." He waited for the boy to nod his understanding, "House elves can make themselves invisible and silent so that they can better serve their masters. I can give you the knowledge of how to do this because you are so young. I can also show you how an elf can pass through the anti apparition wards around any building, we pop, we do not apperate so we are not blocked. Now you need to lie down on your bed and I will need to touch young master's head to show him the knowledge."

The child nodded again and went to the bedroom where he snuggled down into the wooly comfort of his sheepskin lined box. He shut his eyes and waited for the feather light touch of the ancient elf. The grizzled old fingers touched his temple lightly on each side of his head. The boy heard a soft buzzing in his head and then, just like magic, he knew how to make himself invisible and totally silent. It took only another minute to transfer the secret to the elves ability to pop regardless of the warding in place. He opened his eyes to look at Ogden and saw understanding and compassion in the creature's wrinkled face. The boy reached up and hugged him thankfully and with deep gratitude. "Thank you, Ogden. Now they won't see me and I can stay, thank you." The boy's eyes bubbled with unshed tears as he lay back into his bed and fell asleep, the worry and fear having exhausted him.

Ogden brushed the boy's hair off of his forehead and looked at the two bright red scabs that covered the famous scar. The elf thought for a moment and then ran a long finger across the boy's forehead, healing the wounds but leaving a wide puckered scar; that just managed to completely hide the older, faded scar underneath. "Now, you are safe child, now you are safe." He sat down and waited for Nippy to return, planning how the elves could help this child, the savior of the light to heal, and stay safe from the evil that threatened him; both wizard and muggle!

* * *

The Headmaster quickly dealt with the most important of the school business before dismissing everyone but Minerva and Severus. He explained the missing child to Minerva briefly, watching the horror and outrage replace the curiosity that she had first shown. "Of course, I'll help the child in any way that I can, you know that Albus, you don't even need to ask!" She turned to Severus and asked, "Now, exactly what does the child look like, Severus?"

Severus gestured about twoand a half feet off the ground, "He's about that tall, he's very small for his age, he looks about two, but his understanding and reading make me suspect he's at least three or maybe even four. He has very black hair, I had to cut it all off the back of his head to keep the cuts on his scalp clean, but it was long and matted with dirt and blood. He has two very deep cuts on his forehead that I am afraid will scar badly. His eyes are the most remarkable green I have ever seen, a deep emerald color, with long curling black lashes, almost like a girl's."

"His skin is even paler than mine, but I doubt he was ever let outside, surely someone would have noticed his condition otherwise. He is very frail and every rib and bone, even his hip bones are plainly visible, when he first appeared three weeks ago he barely weighed one and a half stone. He might be closer to two stone by now; I have been feeding him six to eight times a day, just small amounts each time. He was wearing a nappy, but he is potty trained. He was covered in bruises, both old and new, so it's hard to really describe anything else. Except he is very good at being very quiet, it's easy to forget he is in the room with you. Oh, and he shudders and hides quickly at any loud noise, especially a raised and angry voice."

Minerva stopped to squeeze Severus' shoulder in support before taking the list of possible names from Albus and leaving to floo to Arabella's house to split the task.

* * *

Severus checked on the boy first thing after returning to his quarters before beginning to start brewing potions for the hospital wing stocks. It was less that a half hour later when he felt a small hand grabbing the back of his robes in a familiar touch. "Hello, child, I'm sorry you were so frightened by the strangers in the Great Hall. I will introduce you to them one at a time and we will eat here in our quarters until you are more comfortable with them. Will that be all right, child?" He looked down into the beautiful green eyes and saw fear once again.

He knelt beside the boy and slowly reached out his arms, waiting for the child to initiate the physical contact. It took a moment, but the boy came forward and reached his boney arms out to the tall man kneeling and waiting patiently for him. He buried his head in the comforting smell of potions and aftershave of the man he was beginning to trust. "You won't send me away, Severus? I can stay with you?" Severus hugged him as tightly as he dared.

"No, child, I will never send you away. I will do everything in my power to keep you here and keep you safe. But we need to find your parents so they can be punished for how they treated you and so that the ministry will let me keep you. Can you tell me the names of your mummy and daddy, child?"

Child felt bad, but he shook his head as he admitted, "I don't know their names, I never met them. Aunt and Uncle kept me and they always called them Freaks, like me. Nothing else, just Freaks. I don't know any other names." The child was shaking in fear after thinking about his relatives once again, he had pushed them far back into his mind, trying to bury them so deep he would never have to think of them again.

"Shh, child, shh, it's all right. We might be able to find them without knowing their names. There are people looking for them right now. And no, we will NOT send you back to them, never, never, NEVER!" He allowed a little fierceness to sound in his voice, knowing the child needed the reassurance more than he needed the soft voice.

Severus stood up, bringing the child with him and sat him on a counter, talking to him the whole time as he returned to brewing. The child watched him all afternoon, fascinated with what he was seeing and learning.

* * *

The child had been introduced to the glories of spaghetti and meatballs and then bathed and put to bed for the night when Severus was casting '_scourgify_' to the table, the floor, and the chairs. He heard a soft chime letting him know the Headmaster wanted to speak with him. He called Nippy to watch the child and left for the Headmaster's office at a brisk walk, curious to know if they had found the child's parents.

After being called into the room, he found Arabella, Minerva, and Albus seated around the Headmaster's desk, the large registry book open once again. They looked up at his entry; he could tell by their expressions that they had found none of the boys missing. Albus sat back as Severus took a chair and steepled his fingers in thought. "No one is missing a boy between the ages of two and five. And I found no one we had forgotten to list. I am sorry, Severus, but now I think we shall have to check on those children with just one magical parent. Perhaps that parent doesn't openly use magic, explaining why the child had never seen it performed."

Severus nodded and thanked the two witches, "Thank you for checking, ladies, but the child admitted after his nap that he didn't know his parents names at all, he had never met them. He said his aunt and uncle were the ones he lived with and he didn't know their names at all."

"Ah, let me check once again," Albus turned back to the large open book on his desk, "I cannot tell by the book, especially if the child's last name is the same as the uncle's. My book lists the names of guardians, but not the relationship. Perhaps if I could be introduced to the child and observe him as you talk to him about his family?"

* * *

Severus and Albus bid the witches good night and walked together back down to the dungeons. "Perhaps Severus, we might convince you to move your quarters so that your rooms are not so damp and cold, and you have daylight in them, now that you have a young child to care for? I suspect that at some point you will need a separate bedroom for the child too."

Severus nodded noncommittally and opened the door to his lounge. He quietly led the headmaster into his bedchamber and stopped to gaze at the sleeping boy, cradled in the sheepskin of his box, he looked so angelic. Severus smiled and looked back at his mentor, only to find an expression of shock and bewilderment on the older man's face. Severus asked, "Do you recognize him, Albus, does he look familiar at all, perhaps you taught his father or mother?"

Albus took two steps over and plopped heavily on the end of Severus' bed, "Severus, there is no one there, it is any empty box!"

Severus looked at him as if he had grown another head; he walked softly over to the peacefully sleeping child, gently put an arm under his neck and the other behind his knees and picked him up, stopping to gently hug the child before placing him in the headmaster's arms. Albus was too startled to think what he was doing and automatically put his arms out and cradled the invisible but obviously sleeping child next to his long beard. The child stretched, wiggled and settled back to sleep, accepting the old man's arms as safe.

"I am not joking, Severus, I can feel him, but I cannot see him and even though I felt him move and yawn, I did not hear him at all. Tell me again what you see?"

Severus sat down on the chair he used to put his boots on and looked at the other man, "I see you Albus, with the child cradled to your chest. He moved and settled down, and he now has one hand clenched in your beard, the way he usually grabs at my robes when he is in my arms. But how can this be, how can you not see him, he is in your arms!"

Albus asked Severus to move his bedroom mirror over. They both looked into the reflection to see if that made a difference. Severus could still see the child in Albus' embrace, but neither Albus nor the mirror could see the child. Severus left and went to collect Poppy Pomfrey from the infirmary. He really wanted her to check the child out anyway to see if there was a better nutrient potion than the generic one he had been giving the child each day.

She entered his bedroom quietly, glanced at Albus and then looked around the room. "Well, I can't check him out if I don't know where he is! Bring me the boy, Severus." Severus just nodded toward Albus and Poppy turned to look at him closer, she noticed he had his arms curled as if he was holding something and then looking closer, it looked like something small was tightened around his beard.

Her eyes widened but she pulled out her wand and cast a diagnostic spell. She looked stunned as she said, "Albus, my wand shows you holding a small child, about three and a half years old, who has been recently healed from some very severe injuries. Good job, on the broken bones and the lacerations, Severus, I can tell he is still malnourished and severely underweight, but I can tell he has recently gained some weight. He needs to drink more milk and eat a little more protein in his diet or we can adjust the nutrient potion you have been feeding him. But why is he invisible?"

Albus chuckled, "Well, that's the most important question isn't it? And we have absolutely no idea how or why he is invisible. I can detect no spell, and I assume you would have found a potion, I admit I am totally stumped."

Severus still looked gobsmacked, "But what do we do with him now? I mean how do you find the guardians of an invisible boy? How do I get custody of him?"

Albus shook his head, "Well, I guess you just pick a name for him and if he ever becomes visible; we will handle the ministry when that happens. I doubt that the bureaucrats in the ministry would be able to even comprehend the problem. So, I guess congratulations are in order Severus, you now have a son. He has obviously chosen you, since no one else can see him. I would suggest that you introduce him to the others individually before the students return next week." Albus awkwardly held his arms out for Severus to reclaim the child.

He took the mediwitch's arm and led her out of the room. "We will see the two of you for breakfast, I will inform the others about the problem and I assure you, they will all ignore him as much as possible. Good night, and good luck, child."

* * *

Severus Snape snarled through the castle the next morning, glaring at the occupants of the portraits that appeared to be following him through a succession of frames. He didn't dare yell at them, he could feel the small hand clutching the back edge of his frock coat. He had held the child in his lap for almost an hour that morning, explaining exactly what would be happening and who he would be seeing. He promised that no one was going to take him away, he would be staying with Severus and the other professors would not care that he was living in the castle, even if he wasn't eleven years old yet.

He stopped in front of the doors to the Great Hall and calmed himself down. The child needed him, he could not raise his voice, he could not snarl or bellow at the idiots he worked with. He was positive that they would be rude and obnoxious, it was in their nature. He sighed and hoped there was enough time to get the boy settled before school started. Blast, he couldn't put this off any longer. He began talking softly to the boy, telling him again what would happen and who he would be meeting. He reassured the child that he would not leave him alone for even a minute and the child could hide in his robes, under his robes, on his lap, or under the table, whatever made him feel the safest.

He pushed open the door and walked slowly and carefully toward the staff table, talking to the child the whole time. He would stop every few feet until he could feel the grip on the back of him loosen a little, he would walk until it tightened up, wait for the almost imperceptible loosening and then walk again.

He spared a glance at the head table, but everyone seemed to be inordinately involved with eating breakfast and ignoring him, though he had to admit the sight was probably strange.

Minerva looked up under the pretense of pouring more tea in her cup, she smiled gently at the sight of the bane of her Gryffindors, walking slowly and stopping, talking non stop to no one. She wondered at how the child was invisible, but if Albus and Poppy could find nothing, she was certain that she wouldn't either. She went back to her fresh fruit and tried to ignore Severus as he managed to finally make it to the table and pull out a chair on the very end, away from everyone else. He dished a small plate with scrambled eggs and several pieces of fruit. He placed it on the floor beside him and dished his own breakfast.

Hagrid had been cautioned to make his voice as soft as he could and he really tried, but he forgot toward the end of breakfast and let out a loud laugh at something Professor Flitwick said about Snape's invisible friend. Severus' arms snapped around a something in his lap and then suddenly he was grasping at nothing. He stood quickly, "Albus, he's gone! That oaf frightened him, he jumped into my lap and then he disappeared. I'm going back to my quarters; I hope he shows up there!" He snarled at Hagrid as he swept past, his robes billowing ominously behind him.

Hagrid was apologizing profusely and was almost incoherent with his upset. "It's all right, Hagrid, we know you were trying, but the child is very nervous and frightens easily at the slightest loud noise." Albus had gone over and picked up the empty plate and fork from the floor and replaced them on the table. "Well, at least he had finished eating first."

* * *

Severus swept into his chambers, angry at Hagrid, worried and concerned about the boy. He almost ran into his bedroom, no child; wait, was the wardrobe slightly open. He calmed his breathing and schooled his expression neutral once more. He opened the door a little bit wider and found two wide tear filled green eyes looking up at him. He reached his arms out and was rewarded with a big armful of crying little boy. He took him over onto his bed and sat down, holding the child tightly in his lap.

"Oh child, Hagrid is a very big man; he did not mean to frighten you. The students are returning next week and you must learn to tune the noises out, they will be loud and rude and noisy and I cannot leave the Great Hall during meals or leave my classroom every time a noise frightens you. It was fine to climb up on my lap; I won't let anyone hurt you. Do you understand child?"

He felt a shaky nod against his chest, reaching down he tipped the thin chin up until he was looking into the still tear filled eyes, "I have been thinking, would you like to have my name? Would you like to be mine, child?"

He felt his heart would break as he enjoyed the thin arms now tightly clenched around his neck, "Yes, child, but I need to be able to breathe. So our last name is Snape, and in my family it is a tradition that you receive a name from your grandfather as well as a first name that begins with the letter S. I have been thinking do you like Shaun, which means gift from God? Because you are my gift, you know that child? And then maybe my father's name for your middle name, Sebastian? Would you like to be Shaun Sebastian Snape, child?"

The small boy leaned his head back and almost whispering asked, "Are you my daddy now?"

Severus hugged him and kissed him gently, hating the involuntary shudder the touch on his face brought to the boy, "Yes, child if that is okay with you."

The boy nodded once again, "Shaun Severus Snape, Daddy, Shaun Severus Snape is my name!"

The two left, Shaun holding his father's hand for the first time. The two bravely on their way to return to the Great Hall and meet the half giant called Hagrid.


	3. Chapter 3: The Calm Before the Storm

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher who likes to twist plots and play with characters, so enjoy.

AN: Author's profile has been updated with information about this story and answers to some questions posed in the reviews. Please read my profile to find out my basic premise of this story. Thank you for you encouragement. I was blown away by the response to Chapter One, it inspired me to update so quickly!

**_AN: Author kneels and begs for forgiveness, I made a huge error in Chapters One and Two. Just pretend it was Hestia Jones in the room and on the search and not Arabella Figg when they were discussing the missing child. So wherever you read Arabella, just substitute Hestia. Author kisses hand, thank you for forgiving me and thanks for those of you who were nice enough to point out that error!_**

Chapter 3: The Calm Before the Storm

The two Snapes had managed to find Hagrid before he had left the castle, and Severus was able to eventually get Shaun to accept that the giant man's voice was just booming, he wasn't angry and he wouldn't hit the boy.

After a substantial tea that afternoon, Severus sat back on the sofa, gazing into the fire and finally asked what he had been wondering all afternoon, "Shaun, do you really want to take my name as your middle name, instead of my father's? It's all right either way; I was just wondering which one you really wanted."

Shaun burrowed into the familiar smell of his new father as he cuddled into his side, his father's arm around him, "I don't know your father, but you saved me, you keep me _safe_, you make me _feel _safe. I want your name, not some one I don't know. Will I meet your father, Daddy?"

Severus rubbed his hand across the soft fuzz that was beginning to grow back from where he had shaved the child's head to keep the cuts clean, and thought about his answer. The boy's trust and love was overwhelming at times. To realize that to this one soul; he was the only one in the entire castle who was safe to show himself to. He wasn't sure he could ever live up to that expectation, but deep inside he knew he had to try.

Just as the shocking first sight of the battered and bleeding baby had lodged itself indelibly into his mind and forced him at some deep instinctual level to care for and protect a helpless child; he was sure this conversation would be forever in his heart, no matter what happened in the future. He smiled at the thought of the strong patronus this moment would allow him to produce, and hugged the child tightly.

"No, child, he died when I was just six years old. I still don't know exactly how he died, I just know that all of a sudden, his younger brother, my uncle moved into Snape Manor and instantly everything that had been my fathers belonged to my uncle. My mother and I had no where to go, no money to live on except what he gave us; and my home was no longer safe and loving. My mother died when I was just thirteen, and my uncle finally died when I was twenty-two. So it is just you and I, Shaun, though I think sometimes the Headmaster thinks he is my father, and sometimes I like to think that too."

Severus sat with his new son curled comfortably on the sofa beside him as they talked and watched the fire until time for dinner in the Great Hall. Severus carried the child in his arms down the corridors, pointing out sights and various portraits and suits of armor; keeping the child calm for what was to come, he had slipped a very mild calming potion into his nutrient potion before coming, so hopefully they would manage a full meal before the child disappeared again. He thought to himself, 'I better make a couple extra batches of calming potion as well as the new formula nutrient potion Poppy said she would give me tomorrow. I have a feeling Shaun is going to need them for a while.'

The level of conversation dimmed slightly as the staff pointedly ignored the tall man who entered the hall, he had his head bent slightly and seemed to be talking intensely to his elbow, which was bent, while his other hand was rubbing the air at about chest height. Everyone made small excuses to glance at the sight and then turned back to their own conversations. Severus sat down at the chair that was left open between Minerva and Albus and began putting a selection of food on his plate. Albus had turned to talk to Filius on his other side and couldn't help listening to the decidedly one sided conversation the usually snarky man was having.

"There, you may eat anything off of my plate that appeals to you. I would prefer that you not get food on my robes, but I can wand it off if you let me know…No, we will not run out of food, the platters refill themselves if needed…Magic, of course…."

Albus notice a plump chicken leg lift itself off of Severus' plate and begin to disappear in small bites. He couldn't help himself, he had to turn and watch. "Severus, I don't know if it occurred to you, but it is rather disconcerting to watch a chicken leg disappear one bite at a time in mid air. We shall have to explain something to the students, they can not help but notice." He had whispered into Severus' ear so as not to startle the boy.

Severus startled and looked down, to him he just saw Shaun enjoying his chicken, savoring each tiny bite. He thought for a moment, "I don't want him to have to eat on the floor, and I need to be here for the Slytherins, how high above the table can he be seen from the student tables?"

"Hm, I hadn't thought about that, perhaps if we elevate the staff platform and then lower your chair, he could eat in your lap without anyone being able to see the food disappear." He looked at the staff in consideration, "Poppy, you are about the height of most students, would you mind sitting at various locations on the house tables and tell me when you can no longer see the child eating?"

Poppy looked startled and then understanding showed, as she stood up and walked down to the student tables. Madame Pince and Pomona Sprout joined her, as well as Professors Grey and Vector. Professor Grey was the new muggle studies teacher and had been taken aside and the situation was explained to him carefully. It was finally decided that if they elevated the staff table another eight inches and they lowered Severus' chair about four inches; no one would be able to see bites of food disappearing in mid air in the middle of Professor Snape's chest.

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was progressing quietly, except for the irresistible urge of the staff to stifle giggles as pieces of bacon, sausage links, and pieces of pancake seemed to disappear in midair. Breakfast was almost over when Albus felt a small, sticky something climb into his lap and start playing in his beard. He chuckled and the invisible fingers stilled. 

Severus had noticed Shaun leave his lap, but thought the boy had just climbed down to sit below his chair as he had done before when he was done eating. He looked over at Albus and noticed that Shaun had both hands twisted and stuck in the old man's luxurious, long beard. "Shaun, did you ask if you could play with the Headmaster's beard before you touched it?"

The small green eyes widened as the boy nodded solemnly, "Yes, Daddy, and he nodded so I climbed up. I asked, Daddy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Albus chuckled again as he felt a small head nod against his chest, "It's all right, child, I don't mind, though I would prefer it if we removed the pancake syrup first next time. It does feel a little sticky."

Severus thought for a moment, "Child, tell the Headmaster your new name, I haven't told anyone yet."

Shaun looked up at the man he was sitting on and said proudly, "My name is Shaun Severus Snape, just like my daddy's name!"

Albus smiled down at his apparently empty lap and waited, and waited, and finally looked expectantly at Severus, who looked back startled, "You mean you can't hear him talk either? So he's _invisible_ and **_silent_**?"

"I would suspect so, I have never heard him say anything back to you; I just assumed he was too shy to talk around other people or whispered too softly for anyone else to hear him."

"No, he just said, quite clearly, 'My name is Shaun Severus Snape, just like my daddy's name!' and then waited for you to talk back to him."

Albus lifted a hand until he found a shoulder and then ran his fingers up until he could feel soft fuzz and rubbed the boy's head. "I'm sorry child, I not only can't see you; I can't hear you either. I think Shaun Severus Snape is a _fine_ name for a _fine _boy. And I know now that you did ask me if you could play with my beard. I was nodding at something else, but it is fine for you to play with my whiskers, but if I laugh it's because it tickles me too. Severus, if you wouldn't mind, could you remove the syrup, I would, but since I can't see his fingers…"

Severus' black eyes sparked with the laughter his face never showed as he spelled them both syrup free. Unknown to anyone, the name _Harry James Potter_ faded and disappeared from the Registry of Magical Children in the drawer of Albus' large oak desk. Moments later a new name appeared, _Shaun Severus Snape_; guardian: Severus Sebastian Snape, Potion's Master, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

For the next few days, Severus took every opportunity to teach Shaun a new game, called 'Fool the Students'. Severus told Shaun the rules were simple, Severus would yell, insult, and scowl at the students and Shaun would know it was a game and he wouldn't be scared or try to hide. Severus had Shaun practice walking beside him up and down the aisles in the classroom; while Severus 'practiced' yelling at the dunderheads and idiots he had to teach. He attached a soft leather strap to his belt on the back of his trousers for Shaun to hold onto instead of his robes or his hand. 

He would always touch a finger to Shaun's head or shoulder to let him know he was going to yell loudly so the child was prepared and then he would let loose with his worst insults and bellows. It was a good thing no one else could hear the child, it wouldn't do for everyone to hear his soft giggles as he enjoyed the insults his father was spewing at the pretend students.

After a couple of days, the two decided that they would 'practice' with the staff members so that Shaun could practice scowling with his daddy and not giggling all the time. It broke daddy's concentration on the game!

Shaun held tight to the strap on the back of his daddy's trousers, because it looked too strange for him to be holding hands with nothing and the students would notice. Severus felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, he could scowl and snarl now without worrying about Shaun's reaction. He was going to enjoy this! He swept into the Great Hall, outer robes billowing out, hiding the invisible form of his son under them.

Startled glances from the head table changed to worried frowns as they noticed the return of the snarky professor that very few of them had missed the last ten days. Severus growled a semi greeting and sat down on his specially lowered chair between Albus and Minerva. He glared up through the curtain of his greasy black hair and dared any one to talk to him. He loaded up his plate as usual and began eating in silence. Albus and Minerva both sighed as they noticed food disappearing off of his plate just as it had been. For a few moments they had worried that the child had disappeared once more, or that someone had managed to claim him from Severus' care. Albus ate, talking about mundane matters until he noticed the child had climbed into his lap once more. He felt a small scourgify from Severus' wand; before ten little fingers began to try to braid his beard. He relaxed and looked quizzically at the man finishing his own lunch. "Anything wrong, Severus?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

Severus sat back, placing his silverware on his now empty plate, "Practicing our new game for when the students return tomorrow, Headmaster."

"And do I _want to know_ what game that is?" Albus looked over the top of his half-moon spectacles.

"It's called 'Fool the Students' and Shaun is getting _quite_ good at it. It is rather off putting though when he starts giggling right in the middle of a good rant of insults!"

"Ah, yes, I imagine that would put you off your stride somewhat. I had thought perhaps you would not be '_playing_' that game this year."

A raised eyebrow was the only response he got. "Well, I had hoped that caring for Shaun would have perhaps changed your opinion of the other children."

"But Shaun _isn't_ like any other child, Albus. He never speaks unless spoken to, he sits quietly where you put him, he loves to read, he doesn't talk back, and he immediately apologizes for any misdeed; sometimes even if he didn't actually _do_ anything. What's not to like about Shaun?" Severus was genuinely puzzled.

Albus shook his head, "Surely even you recognize that his behavior is not normal. Shaun was abused for years, he doesn't know how to behave like a normal child, you should encourage him to make noise and ask questions. It's not natural to be so quiet, Severus, I am worried about the child, aren't you?"

"Well, yes, but sometimes I don't actually _mind _his quiet behavior. I mean, we can sit together and he just listens to me talk and read to him. It's almost like having a very intelligent familiar rather than a child. I _do_ understand he needs to become more like a normal child, but I also need to learn how to become a normal father, my own died when I was so young, and no one in their right mind would want me to learn parenting from my uncle!"

Albus reluctantly agreed, "Well, as long as you are the only one who can see him and hear him, I guess it is probably better that he stays where you put him, just make sure he learns to be a child too Severus. And it wouldn't hurt for you to be a little more child like either. Why don't you take him out in the sunshine this afternoon before your appointment with Poppy for his checkup? I daresay you could both use more sun. And have you thought more about moving your quarters?"

"Yes, Shaun and I have discussed it, and he has agreed that we should move to a warmer room, but make sure the house elves replace everything _exactly_ as it is. For now, I can have extra rooms, but make sure everything in my bedroom and the lounge is placed exactly as it is. Shaun isn't ready for a _bed _yet, he likes the box too much and he still needs me in the middle of the night, he would panic at the idea of his own _room_. He has nightmares that wake him up screaming and crying almost every night still, though I can get him to calm down quicker now, so perhaps they will begin to fade."

"Excellent, I shall have the elves move the two of you this afternoon while you are outside. May I have the use of Nippy to supervise?" Severus nodded and picked up the now sleeping Shaun from the headmaster's lap, carefully untangling the small fingers and laughing at the mess in the headmaster's beard. "Nice braid, sir." He smirked.

* * *

Shaun had enjoyed riding on his daddy's broomstick with him. The strong arms encircling him made him feel too safe to be worried about the outdoors or the height they were flying at. He had enjoyed playing the game with his daddy at lunch, it was fun to fool everyone and his daddy made such funny faces at everyone that he had laughed and giggled while he ate; which only made his daddy make funnier faces! 

He was awfully nervous about going to the hospital this afternoon, he didn't really know what a hospital was but it didn't sound very nice. And daddy had said they would be moved to new quarters while they had been flying and then visiting the hospital. He wondered where they would be, he hoped they would have a nice window, he had liked looking out the window at the garden at his aunt's house.

Daddy put him down on a bed in a row of beds in a very white room and called "Poppy" before the lady he had met several days ago came bustling into the room.

"Is my patient sitting there in front of you, Severus?" She asked, rather exasperated with the situation. But no one had yet found out _how_ or even _how long _the child had been invisible and silent to everyone but Snape. It was a bizarre situation that was for sure. 'I hope he never gets really hurt, it is difficult enough to evaluate a patient you cannot see or hear. I would write this up in a paper, but no one would believe me, I'm sure!'

"Yes, he is right here, Poppy." Severus stood directly behind Shaun and placed a warm, large hand on each of his shoulders, to reassure the child and to help Poppy find her patient.

She cast several diagnostic spells on the area in front of Severus and nodded, "Well, you'll be happy to know he now weighs just under two stone, he seems to have grown slightly, his protein levels are better, though still low. Continue with the nutrient potions, and I don't see any long term effects from the calming potion you have been adding to them. I think you might be able to gradually reduce them; though as time goes by. But he might need a little stronger dose for the first few weeks of school, just until he gets used to the noise and bustle of the crowds."

She put away her wand and continued, "His bones are healing nicely, no sign of the ulcers returning and everything else appears to be improving." She walked back into her office and returned with a pentagon shaped package. "Here you go Shaun; you were such a good boy!" She held it out somewhere around the middle of Severus' waist only to have him point over toward the nearest window. "He's looking at the lake, Poppy. Shaun, come get a treat and say thank you to Poppy…he said thank you, very much Madame Pomfrey." As the chocolate frog box floated out of her hand, Poppy startled and then recovered.

Severus sat on the edge of the bed and apparently picked up the small boy to help him open the treat. The jump of the frog made Severus grab one hand for the boy and the other for the frog. Poppy thought how odd it was to hear the gentleness in the cold man's speech as he explained to the air, "No, it's not a real frog…just one jump….Yes, it's the Headmaster…." Severus threw back his head and laughed the first genuine deep laugh that Poppy ever remembered hearing from him. "No, it's really him….I'll ask him tonight if you like…."

Severus jumped down, put his hands out and caught something, bending to place it on the floor, he then put out his hand and walked out the door, still talking to the air, "Shall we go find our new quarters and get ready for dinner…..okay….Nippy!" She could no longer hear the conversation as the heavy infirmary doors shut. She spelled clean sheets on the bed and walked back to her office, shaking her head as she went. This was going to be one interesting year!

* * *

Dinner the last night before the students returned was always unique. The staff was always a little excited about the new students, apprehensive about the beginning of teaching duties once again and a little silly about their last night of freedom before the heavy responsibility of taking care of that many teenagers began once again. 

Apparently Shaun really liked the tender steak that had appeared on his own little plate in front of Severus, every one else had a t-bone, but his little teeth would do much better on the small tenderloin the elves had prepared especially for him. He did like baby carrots,

Severus supposed that one day he would actually start to use a fork to eat them, but Severus had to feed him the steamed rice, his hands weren't coordinated enough to keep the grains on his spoon.

Severus waited until everyone had food when he turned to Albus and asked him, "Headmaster, Shaun got a chocolate frog this afternoon, and he wanted to know if that was really you on the card?"

Albus' eyes twinkled merrily as he looked at where he could see small carrots disappearing. "Why yes Shaun; that is really me. Did you like your chocolate frog?"

Severus relayed his answer, "He says 'yes he did very much, sir.'" Severus waited until the headmaster was taking a drink of his pumpkin juice, "He says 'If that's you when I open the card, and you're taking a shower, are you naked on my card?'" Severus laughed, they had done it! Not only did Albus spray pumpkin juice down his beard, he heard Minerva choke on her rice and Professor Flitwick fell off of his pillow. He could hear Shaun giggling at their success and he clapped hands with the small boy in triumph.

Albus was still choking when he looked at Severus and saw the small twitches of the man's mouth. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Severus looked down slightly and slyly admitted, "Well, yes, but he did ask me this afternoon in the infirmary. So are you naked?"

The entire table stopped to listen to the answer, most had never thought to wonder about it, having grown up with the treats, "No, it's not really me, they just take a picture and duplicate it over and over, the picture moves, but it never changes its clothes or where it is. If that was really me, I would never get any work done, now would I?" He glanced up and down the table, glaring at everyone over his glasses. They all smiled and began to choose from the wonderful selection of desserts the house elves had prepared.

* * *

Severus sat nervously at the head table, idly running his hands up and down his son's back. He could feel the slight trembling of the small body sitting on his lap, hiding under the front of his robes. He had given Shaun a full calming potion half an hour before coming down here, so the potion should be at its full effect. By the time the potion wore off, he would have Shaun safely ensconced in their new quarters and hopefully asleep. 

The returning students were coming in the doors in a rush of sounds and sights. After the silence of the summer, it sounded like the roar of a waterfall, or the noise of the Hogwarts Express train. But since none of them approached the table, Shaun was still okay. Albus had a hand under the table and Shaun had one of his hands clutched tightly to it, the boy's other one was gripping his father's vest in an iron grasp, head buried deep in the comfort of the warm chest.

* * *

The sorting had been completed and the beginnings of term announcements were over and the feast appeared before the first of the students noticed anything funny happening at the head table. Two Gryffindors were first to notice that the sour potion's teacher was rubbing his hand up and down his robes and appeared to be talking to his chest. 

One of the tallest of the Slytherin sixth year boyspointed out to two even taller seventh year boysthat food was disappearing into Snape's robes with some regularity, and a group of fifth and sixth year Ravenclaws thought it was awfully odd that not only had the Headmaster not stood for opening announcements, he appeared to be holding hands with Snape under the table! None of the Hufflepuffs noticed anything and ate in ignorant bliss.

Snape waited until all of the students had left the Great Hall for the Common rooms and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Halfway through the evening he had felt Shaun go to sleep on his lap, still clutching his gnawed chicken leg. Albus had finally been able to reclaim his hand when the child's grip slackened in sleep. He had laughed gently as he wiggled his fingers and shook his hand to restore the circulation. "Quite some grip young Shaun has, Severus."

Severus slipped the sleeping child out of his robes and placed him on his shoulder before saying good night and leaving through the back door at the side of the staff table. He was grateful that their new quarters were directly behind the Great Hall so the two of them could enter and leave without ever going out into the public corridors. He could imagine what it would look like for him to be carrying an invisible child all the way down to the dungeons.

* * *

Severus and Shaun had been among the first to arrive for breakfast the next morning and Shaun had decided he would prefer to eat his scrambled eggs, bacon and toast on the floor, it was easier to manage a fork that way. Severus had put his son's breakfast on his extra plate and surreptitiously leaned over and handed it to the child. Shaun said thank you and dug in. Severus was happy to note that Shaun was not only eating faster, he was now eating a more normal amount for someone his age. 

Severus sat up and began to glare at the students who were shuffling, still half asleep into the Great Hall. He looked at his schedule once again before replacing it in his vest pocket. Sixth year N.E.W.T. class first; well they already knew the rules and if they had managed the 'O' necessary to enter the class, he wouldn't have to supervise them too much.

Next was a combined first year class of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, why did the Headmaster always insist on placing Slytherin and Gryffindor together, it was an accident waiting to happen, or blow up as it frequently was in the potion's classroom!

Then a Gryffindor/Slytherin second year class; and then the afternoon was free. Perhaps he could get some grading done outside while Shaun played down by the lake. Surely if he took papers to grade, no one would come close enough to notice anything unusual. He dropped a napkin to his son and stood up, waiting until he felt the strap being lifted and the boy straightening the robes to completely cover himself. He dropped his hand and gently touched the top of the boy's head. He felt a small nod and knew that Shaun was ready to 'play' the game.

Severus glared over at the Gryffindor table, snarled at the stupid Hufflepuff first years and generally felt much better than he had in a while. Maybe he could even get some of the little girls to cry! Ah, what a happy thought! What was that small twinge he felt, that small voice telling him not to scare them, Shaun hated to be scared, and so would they. He pushed the small voice back where it belonged and swept from the Great Hall, robes billowing out ominously, to prepare for his first class of the year.


	4. Chapter 4: The Madness of Pro Snape

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher who likes to twist plots and play with characters with a very odd sense of humor, so enjoy.

AN: Author's profile has been updated with information about this story and answers to some questions posed in the reviews. Please read my profile to find out my basic premise of this story.

**_AN: Author kneels and begs for forgiveness, I made a huge error in Chapters One and Two. Just pretend it was Hestia Jones in the room and on the search and not Arabella Figg when they were discussing the missing child. So wherever you read Arabella in the first two chapters, just substitute Hestia. This is really Arabella in this chapter, promise!_**

Chapter 4: The Madness of Professor Snape

Severus Snape, snarky Potions Master, 'greasy git' and 'slimy bat of the dungeons' was in his element. He excelled at his 'beginning of first year' speech. The eleven year olds cowered when he glared, they looked impressed at his 'even put a stopper in death!' He waved his wand at the board and the nervous first years started madly taking down the directions for the simple potion base he always had them start on. He started to sweep down the first aisle when he realized that Shaun no longer had hold of the strap on his belt. In fact he couldn't feel the child anywhere under his robe. 'Oh blast, he had scared his son as well as the first years!' He strode silently back to his desk and sat down heavily, his head down in his hands. He couldn't leave the classroom; he couldn't call Nippy to check on the boy, what was he to do now?

His mind in turmoil and his emotions running rampant, it took a moment to feel the small form standing up and leaning against his leg under his desk. He leaned back to make more room and felt the tremulous presence of his boy. He sighed and placed his hands under the desk. He placed one hand on the small head that was lying on his knee and rubbed the small shoulders with the other. He looked to make sure the students were busy before beginning to softly talk to the child.

"It's all right, Shaun, it's just the game. Shh, now I'm not mad at you, I just needed to frighten the students enough at the beginning so they never stop paying attention to what I say. It would be too dangerous if they get careless or Merlin forbid, think they can prank each other or play in here. Potion's accidents are not as easily repaired as a spell cast wrong. And a cauldron explosion can _kill_ people."

Shaun dried his tears, "You aren't going to chop them up for potion's ingredients if they make a mistake?"

Severus could feel the corners of his mouth threaten to turn up so he forcibly scowled, "Now child, that would ruin everything I brewed, wouldn't it?"

The small head nodded and then climbed further up into his father's lap. He hugged him around the middle, not caring if anyone noticed anything odd in his need for his father's reassurance. Severus patted his back, leaning over to whisper, "I will summon you a couple of books for the next class and you can sit over there and read or watch if you like, okay?"

Shaun nodded and climbed down, grabbing the strap to let his father know he was ready to continue with their game once again. The class finished without further upset and Severus was happy to see the classroom door close behind them.

They had made it to lunchtime, but then it was still only the first day of classes. They had one second year class left and then he could take Shaun outside to play while he corrected papers in the late afternoon sun while the students were still in their second class of the afternoon.

* * *

The second year's class had gone very well, Severus had placed a large box in a corner of the classroom that wasn't visible and lined it with a big soft blanket and a pillow. Only ten minutes into class, Shaun had climbed into it with his favorite book, "The Young Wizard's Guide to Beginning Potions Making", read a few pages, and promptly went to sleep. 

Severus had begun grading the massive pile of summer essays he had assigned and sighed, each year he promised himself he wouldn't assign such long ones that he would have to grade, and each year he forgot and assigned them anyway. Oh well, at least _they_ had had to write them over summer. He had finished all of the seventh year essays, most of them adequate and a couple actually quite good, the sixth years of course had none, no one knew if they would be in N.E.W.T. potions until after they got their O.W.L. scores after all. He began on last year's fourths, now his fifth year students and turned at a small sound to find Shaun waking up.

He conjured a satchel and placed the ungraded essays, quills, ink and a small snack that Nippy had provided for them, and asked Shaun if he would like to go outside to play for a while. He was rewarded with a large smile and a lap full of small boy. He went to the coat rack and pulled down the two cloaks there. It never ceased to amaze him that anything Shaun wore became just as invisible as he did. He took the cloaks over one arm, the satchel on his shoulder and his son's hand in his as they walked through the corridors to the large outside entrance. He never noticed the several pairs of eyes out in the corridors around the castle as they widened and wondered at the man walking with his arm held out to one side, hand curled in a loose fist, talking to himself.

* * *

The entire castle was buzzing by dinner. No one knew what had happened to the snarky git, but he was now talking to himself in the halls and pretending to hold someone's hand, a very small someone's hand. The students were very careful to never talk about Professor Snape anywhere a member of staff could overhear them, but that didn't stop the speculation in the common rooms, the hallways, the empty classrooms, and the dorms. 

Several students had observed him out the windows from various classrooms where they were supposed to be paying attention to the professor's lecture; but found the view by the lake much more exciting. Terrence, a fifth year Ravenclaw was telling his four dorm mates that he had seen the man set out a picnic basket and then pat a spot for no one. He had even put out a plate of food for the 'pretend' friend. Then he had repeatedly thrown a ball and apparently summoned it back in a bizarre game of catch.

The second year Slytherin who had been on his way to the infirmary to have Madame Pomfrey heal the nasty bite he had gotten in Herbology told the entire Slytherin common room that he had seen Professor Snape pretending to be carrying something, and had been talking to it as he walked down the hall towards the potions classroom before dinner.

Even the Hufflepuff table noticed when Margaret dropped her napkin and then excitedly explained in a whisper that when she bent over to pick it up, she saw Professor Snape put a plate full of food down onto the floor by his feet. But there was nothing there; he didn't have a cat or a dog with him!

The second year Gryffindors were all wondering why Professor Snape hadn't yelled at anyone, he had wandered up and down the aisles and he had taken the obligatory points for minor mistakes, but he hadn't yelled at anyone and he had actually _glared_ at the two **_Slytherins_** who had tried to cause a Gryffindor cauldron to explode. He had actually given them _**detention**_! Maybe the man was in the middle of a mental breakdown?

* * *

Arabella Figg got an urgent owl from her daughter, her youngest granddaughter was very ill, and she wanted her Grandmother Bella to come and stay with her while she got better. Since her daughter and granddaughter were both squibs also, she would need to pack to be away for a while, potions and spells just didn't work very well for them. She charged Mr. Tibbles, her kneazle, to keep an eye on young Harry, and to step on the special parchment that would notify Professor Dumbledore if there was a problem. 

She hastily scratched out a note for the Headmaster, telling him she would be gone for several weeks, and that everything was fine. She had seen Petunia walking to the park just two days ago, her blonde son holding one hand, her dark haired nephew holding the other. And it appeared that Harry had actually grown several inches, maybe he was finally growing.

As she packed she checked off a mental list, ah, just time to pop down to the opticians and pick up her new glasses; she had been getting headaches ever since she broke them two weeks ago, then she had had to _wait _for an appointment to get a new order, and now finally, they had rung just yesterday saying they were ready. Then she would need to stop at the chemists and pick up some more headache powder…

* * *

The students took to watching Professor Snape carefully without appearing to be watching him. It was obvious the entire staff knew what was happening; they could hardly not notice the man's bizarre behavior after all! And it was getting worse as time went on. 

It had been so gradual that the students couldn't pinpoint exactly when it started, but the man didn't take points off nearly as often. None of the students could recall the great bat finding anyone out after curfew this term, and no one had seen him patrolling constantly as he had in past years. And he walked so slowly and cautiously now, not like the ground eating pace he had used every year before.

He was spotted frequently out in the grounds, sitting on a blanket with a picnic basket open beside him, playing a weird game of throw the ball and then summon it back. It was even rumored that he had a small shrunken toy broom in one pocket and that he had been seen flying out over the lake and the Quidditch pitch, _smiling_!

* * *

Vernon and Petunia had been afraid to breathe too hard the first week their nephew had disappeared; but they gradually relaxed as no one showed up for the boy, no wizards, no social services, no police. The days stretched into weeks, the weeks stretched into a month then two, and Vernon and Petunia decided that they could just pretend they had never had the boy in their lives at all. Petunia had scoured his filthy cupboard the day after they noticed he was gone, the cupboard had still been locked from the outside. 

Vernon came home early in the middle of September with the most wonderful news. Petunia and Dudley weren't home; perhaps they were still at the play park. He made himself a cuppa and sat down to savor the moment. Petunia came in, holding Dudley with one hand and his dark haired friend Piers with the other. She sent both boys upstairs to play in Dudley's room and went into the kitchen. She stopped at the door, surprised to find her husband home so early, a big smile on his face.

"Petunia, dear, I got it! The new office opening up in Vancouver is mine, and Grunnings wants us there in just two weeks. They have agreed to buy this house and pay all of our moving expenses. They have an executive house we can stay in until we find something. We have our passports already and they are getting the permits to live in Canada expedited. We can leave this house and all these nosy neighbors behind. And it's a huge promotion and a very large pay raise and bonus!"

He stood and swept his wife into his arms and planted a big kiss on her cheek, "And best of all, no more weirdoes or freaks!"

She kissed him back and said, "Let me call Pier's mother and have Dudley spend the night, then we can go out and celebrate! And tomorrow, I'll begin packing!"

* * *

By the middle of October Snape had started wearing robes that weren't black, they were very dark green, blue and grey, but they weren't black. The students who had written home got confirmation from older brothers and sisters that that had never happened before. His hair was now tied back, it might still be just as greasy, but it didn't look bad at all. He had gained some weight, he would never be anything but skinny, but he wasn't skeletal any more, and his skin looked much better for all the time he had spent out in the sun. 

First year Bill Weasley told the Gryffindor common room that when he went up to fetch his old owl Errol that had landed on Hagrid's head by mistake, he saw a small table with a little chair behind Professor Snape's seat, and it had silverware and a plate and cup like his stupid girl cousins' when they played tea party.

Kristina told the other fourth year Hufflepuff girls, that when she bent down in potions to pick up the quill she had dropped, she saw crayons and coloring books under Professor Snape's desk, and a play cauldron! She had to explain to the others exactly what crayons and coloring books were, them not being muggle born, but then they were just as shocked as she was!

* * *

The pleased topic of the October staff meeting was the surprising amount of school spirit and lack of inter-house rivalry this year. Everyone had noticed that students of all years and all houses seemed to be meeting in out of the way places all over the castle, just to talk and visit. No one was hexing other house members, and there had been no major fights or out of class duels. Even Slytherin house was being included in the activities. 

None of the staff knew exactly what the students were all buzzing about, but they knew the castle was always rife with gossip and intrigue, and suspected that this year was no different. Dumbledore was pleased and said perhaps they could have a special Halloween ball this year as well as the traditional Hogsmeade day for the third year and above students. After all, inter house cooperation and harmony should be encouraged wherever it was found!

The staff all got to work right away on planning the treat for the students, and for once even Severus Snape raised no objections. Professor Flitwick had noticed that all four houses seemed to have many more points than they had ever had at this time of year, perhaps since there seemed to be so little rivalry, so fewer points had been lost than any other year. He didn't mention that not losing tons of points every day in potions or someone lying in wait to find students out in the corridors every evening probably had a lot to do with it too.

* * *

It was almost 8 p.m., when Arabella Figg paid off the muggle taxi driver after he helped her carry her luggage up to the steps of her house. 'Ah it is so good to finally be home. Little Beth was so ill and then it seemed to take forever for her to get her strength back,' she thought as she struggled to unlock the front door. She had not intended to be gone over five weeks after all! She pulled her suitcase inside the door and checked with Mr. Tibbles, where was that kneazle; she needed to check on little Harry after all, now where could that nasty cat have gotten to? 

"Mr. Tibbles… Mr. Tibbles… here kitty, kitty." No answer; so she went next door to see Cathy, the lady she always paid to keep an eye on her mail and yard, and to feed her cats. She knocked on the door and was shocked to see Cathy carrying Mr. Tibbles, a strange plaster thing on his hind leg.

Cathy handed the cat over to his owner, "I'm sorry, Arabella, I didn't know how to get in touch with you, but your cat had a run in with a car the day after you left. A large dog was chasing him and he ran out in front of a car. The driver was very sorry and paid all the vet bills, I have his name and number for you, he wanted you to call him when you returned to make sure everything was fine. Mr. Tibbles just needs the cast for one more week, and then the vet says he will be as good as new. I have had a terrible time keeping him inside; he really tries to get out every time the door opens. I've had to start answering the door with him in my arms."

After assuring Cathy that it was fine and that she wasn't mad at her, she managed to take the kneazle home and settle him into her bedroom. She went immediately over to check on poor little Harry, grabbing the small toy she had bought for him as a present. She almost fainted on the spot to find the house totally empty, no curtains, no furniture, empty!

She rushed home, threw floo powder in the fire she had hurriedly started and yelled, "Hogwarts Headmaster's Office, Albus, _we have a problem_!" When the headmaster opened his floo, she stepped through and looked around. "I think you need the others here, too, Albus. They will need to hear this and I don't think a wait for them to arrive will make any difference now."

Albus sent messages to the four heads of House that they were needed in his office as soon as possible. When Severus heard the chime that meant he was needed by the headmaster, he called for Nippy to watch his already sleeping son. He absent mindedly rubbed the small head, at least his hair was finally growing back. He supposed he would have to begin cutting his hair himself, he could imagine taking an invisible child to the barbers and asking for a 'trim, please'. He smiled at the thought. 'It's remarkable how much this one little soul has changed my life so much. I almost wish he would never become visible, for the first time in a very long time, I _like_ my life.' He left as soon as Nippy assured him he would send word if the boy woke up.

Severus was the last to arrive in Albus' office and nodded greetings to Minerva, Pomona and Filius as well as Albus before he noted the presence of Arabella Figg. His face didn't automatically snarl at the thought that this must have something to do with the Potter boy then. He thought with surprise, that he almost felt sorry for James Potter, who would never know the small joys that Shaun brought to his life every day. He sat down in the last empty chair, a pensive expression upon his face and listened intently.

"So, Arabella, what brings you here so late, I hope your granddaughter has fully recovered?" The Headmaster asked her.

"Yes, thank you Albus. Well, for those of you who don't know, my granddaughter got very sick about the first week in September and I left to go help her mother with her. I had seen Harry out walking with his Aunt and cousin just two days before so I knew everything was all right. I set my kneazle up to watch the house, as he has done before, notified Albus and left. I got home just this evening. I couldn't find my kneazle, so I went to the neighbor's house who watches after my place to find that he had been hit by a car the day after I left and had not been let out of her house since then."

She stopped and wrung her hands in agitation, "I immediately went to the Dursley's house and it was _empty_, no furniture, no cars, no _nothing._ There is no for sale sign, nothing to follow up on. So I came straight here. It's too late at night to go knocking on the neighbors doors to find out if they know anything. I just didn't know what else to do."

Minerva looked at Severus and asked, "Could it be Shaun? You said he has black hair and green eyes, just like Harry. What day did he show up in your lab, Severus?"

Severus blanched, "When did you say you last saw the boy, Arabella?" She thought for a moment, "I left on the fourth of September and I saw him two days before walking to the park with his aunt, so the second of September. And who's Shaun, Severus?"

Severus sighed and sat back in his chair relieved, "Shaun is my soon to be adopted son, but he came to me the last week in June, I think the 29th but it could have been the 30th. And when Poppy examined him on August 30th she said he was three and a half. Isn't the Potter boy a little bit older?"

As Albus was pulling the Registry of Magical Children book out of his desk drawer, Severus explained a little bit about the unique circumstances surrounding Shaun. Albus finally answered, "Harry Potter'sbirthday is the 31st of July, so he was already four years old by the time Poppy examined Shaun."

Albus sat back, steepled his fingers and looked worriedly at his colleagues, "There is no Harry James Potter in my magical registry. Either he is no longer alive, or his family no longer lives in Great Britain. I will ask the other magical schools around the world to check on their registries. Arabella, I need you to ask around the neighborhood and find out what you can, Minerva can you send an owl to Kingsley Shacklebolt to check for a missing boy matching Harry's description in both the magical and muggle world. And maybe he can see if there were Muggle papers for the Dursley family to leave Great Britain? Severus, can you make discreet inquiries amongst your former associates, I know some of them still wish Harry dead."

After another agonizingly long hour of discussion and planning the six left the office, each deep in their own thoughts and worries, but Severus was just relieved that his Shaun wasn't Harry Potter!


	5. Chapter 5: Havoc in Hogsmeade

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

Chapter 5: Havoc in Hogsmeade

Severus returned to his quarters to watch his sleeping son after the stressful meeting in Albus' office and sat on the edge of his bed, deep in thought as he watched the innocent face. His life had changed so much, was it only four short months ago that he had first laid eyes on that battered baby?

He found it harder and harder each day to torment his students, he had little patience for bullying, even that done by his Slytherins, and he no longer tolerated any behavior that might cause an explosion in class, even if it was sabotage of a _Gryffindor_ potion by his Slytherins. In fact, he was beginning to actually detest some of his more aggressive house members. He had nightmares of his little boy's beautiful face being scalded by an exploding cauldron; he couldn't bear to think of the poor child being hurt by something he could have prevented.

Shaun stirred and rolled over in his box, Severus smiled, the issue of the box would be resolved very soon; the boy would simply not fit much longer. He wondered if he should put a small bed in his room to start with, or if he should try to move the boy into the room across the hall from his. The elves had done a wonderful job of choosing quarters for them. Because they were next to the Great Hall they were on an outside corner of the castle and had lovely picture windows that overlooked the back of the grounds and part of the forest from the lounge and library area, and windows in both his and the boy's bedrooms. Only the bathroom, his private lab and the small eating area and kitchen had blank walls.

He picked up his sleeping son and cradled him softly talking to him, "I was so worried I would loose you tonight when I thought you were Harry Potter. But you are mine, my Shaun, my gift." And yet, he continued to muse, would it have been so bad if he had been Harry? His guardians, whomever they turned out to be; were obviously less than adequate, there had been no missing reports, the child had been emotionally and physically abused, obviously starved and neglected. He, even as a former spy, would be a much better guardian than the one's he had previously. He just had to convince the Ministry of that, and of course, that small voice in his head, the one that kept telling him he didn't deserve this happiness and the love of a small boy.

* * *

Two days after Arabella dropped the bombshell about Harry Potter being missing; Severus and Shaun were ready for their first Halloween together. Severus had been drafted to be a chaperon for the first Hogsmeade day of the year. He had explained to Shaun that he just had to supervise in the village, he didn't have to stay with the students, and that he would take the small boy to visit Honeyduke's candy store and the bookstore for some new books. Severus thought it would be much better if he had Nippy pack them a picnic than to try to feed the small boy without anyone noticing in the Three Broomsticks.

Severus had shrunk the picnic basket and both of their cloaks and Shaun's toy broomstick before leaving their quarters, and placed them into his robe pocket. Now they only had to get through breakfast and then he could carry Shaun down to Hogsmeade and get there well before the students were released at ten a.m. He didn't think Shaun could manage the long walk across the grounds and then remain awake for the whole day without being too tired, so he would carry the child to the village before anyone from the castle could notice them. At least his shift at supervision was over at two, so he could turn the responsibility over to Hagrid and put Shaun down for a nap before the late night they were sure to have.

* * *

Breakfast began well enough, except for the third years and above being excited about going to Hogsmeade later, but Severus should have known it was too good to last. Since Shaun now ate at the small table the house elves had placed for him behind the staff table, Severus was not quite as aware of where Shaun was at all times. And Shaun had lost an awful lot of his shyness and fear over the last four months. Now his natural curiosity, and bubbling cheerfulness was starting to shine through and sometimes take over his good sense.

Shaun had finished his breakfast, and Daddy was still busy talking to Minerva and Albus when the child noticed someone new sitting down at the far end of the table. She must be a Professor he thought, but she looks really funny, all dressed in scarves and big round glasses. She sorta looks like a big bug with them. Shaun didn't ever remember her sitting at the breakfast table before, and he wondered if she would be nice like Minerva and Albus or scary like that dreadful Mr. Filch. Maybe she only _looked_ scary like Hagrid?

Shaun walked down the table, being careful not to touch anyone, and stood watching the weird lady. He saw that she had dropped her napkin, so he picked it up and tapped her on the shoulder politely and held up her napkin by one corner. He knew she couldn't hear anything that he said, so he didn't bother saying anything to her.

She turned at his touch, took one look at the floating napkin and screamed, which scared poor Shaun. He jumped backwards knocking poor little Professor Flitwick off of his pillow. Filius waved his arms wildly trying to catch his balance before crashing forward, face first into the large bowl of porridge. He flailed his arms, pushing the tablecloth forward, and dumping the entire left end of the staff table full of food, plates, goblets and silverware onto the students sitting on the ends of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw house tables, and spinning the right end of the tablecloth to dump its contents on the chests and laps of the staff sitting at the other end from him.

The weird lady was still screaming so Shaun was trying to pat her to calm her down, just like his daddy patted him when he was scared, but she wouldn't stand still, she kept squealing and jumping around, until she fell off the end of the platform that elevated the staff table and fell full length, slipping and sliding in the spilled food, down the middle of the Gryffindor table, sending showers of food over more of the students. The students that were now covered in breakfast were getting mad at the rest of the students who were laughing at them; so the messy ones started throwing food at the laughing ones, and the Hogwarts all house food fight was on!

Shaun gave up on calming the weird lady down; he couldn't see anything over the staff table, so he had gone back to his chair to see if the house elves had sent him another cinnamon roll. When Severus stopped laughing at Albus, who had been drenched with pumpkin juice and had a platter of fried eggs on his lap, and turned around to check on his son, Shaun was calmly eating a cinnamon roll.

Severus stood up and spelled the eggs, bacon and tea off of his robes before helping Professor McGonagall clean the bowl of porridge out of her hair and off of her glasses. The Headmaster finally stopped laughing at Professor Trelawney covered in bubble and squeak, scrambled eggs and pumpkin juice, laying face down sprawled across the Gryffindor house table that she had slid halfway down; and called for '**_Silence_**' in the Great Hall. There was a fried egg dripping it's yolk down his beard, he had a slice of bacon hanging from the side of his hat and he was literally dripping in pumpkin juice, but he was still an imposing figure, and he was the Headmaster. The students all froze.

"Prefects, please return your housemates to their common rooms. Every house will be assigned the cleaning of the Great Hall each night for one week, starting with Gryffindor beginning tomorrow evening after dinner. Now, go get cleaned up, I believe that Hogsmeade is waiting. And don't forget to leave room for the feast at the Halloween Party tonight!"

The students didn't wait to be told to leave twice; they thought they had gotten off lightly for such a stupendous food fight! After the last of the students left the room, the staff looked at each other, several started to snort, then giggle, and before many seconds had passed, they were all laughing soundly. Albus looked pointedly at where Pomona Sprout and Professor Vector were helping Sybil climb down from the Gryffindor table, she was so slippery they were having a hard time even holding on to her. He managed to calm down long enough to sputter, "I couldn't really punish them too much for a food fight that was begun by a professor, now could I."

The group was still laughing as they started spelling the mess away, but had managed to calm down before the exit of Sybil Trelawney stalked out of the room, scowling in a very poor imitation of Severus Snape, muttering under her breath about, 'Never eating in here again, evil spirits gathered here, attacking innocent people…' The peals of laughter that began again at her disgruntled, completely incomprehensible raving only strengthened her resolve to never leave the safety of her tower ever again.

* * *

The Headmaster had waved off Severus' offer of help in cleaning the Great Hall and told him to go enjoy the day in Hogsmeade with his son, so the two walked carefully through the mess and out the doors. At least none of the students were there to witness two sets of footprints, one large and one very small, slipping and slopping through the very unappetizing slurry of thrown and spilled food on the floor of the castle that led straight out the front doors and across the lawns.

Severus stopped at the bottom step and swung Shaun up on one hip, throwing his voluminous cloak across his shoulders to completely hide the fact that his elbow was bent and he was obviously holding something close to his chest with the other hand. He was enjoying the late fall sun and listening with only half an ear as Shaun babbled on about what he was going to find in the small village.

If he had been paying attention, he might have noticed that Shaun was talking about always being left locked in his cupboard while his cousin Dudley got to go shopping with his Aunt Petunia, but nothing the small boy was babbling about actually registered in his conscious mind. He was still trying to figure out what had set off that disgusting fraud, Sybil Trelawney this morning. Though the memories of her sliding face first down Gryffindor table, food flying all around her would always remain among one of his fondest memories, and he knew he would think of it whenever he had to deal with that charlatan ever again.

* * *

Severus would have rather kissed Sybil Trelawney than admit that he had actually enjoyed the morning with Shaun looking wide eyed and so excited at his first sight of Honeyduke's. And Severus would never admit that he had enjoyed buying an assortment of unusual treats, as well as a stock of chocolate, to share with his son. They had been able to arrive at the candy store well before the first of the students, and the staff had been way too busy setting up stocks and filling displays for the upcoming hordes of invading students to notice the way Professor Snape held his hands or kept his cloak closed about his chest.

The two Snapes had left and made their way through the small village to the less frequented bookstore when they could see the first of the Hogwarts students appear in the streets. Severus had asked the bookseller to set a small table and a chair up next to the front window so that he could read and keep an eye on the street in front of him. Shaun sat between his feet so no one would step on him and had his own book strategically hidden from view under his daddy's cloak, which was draped down the back of his chair to pool on the floor.

They spent most of their supervisory time in peaceful reading until Severus noticed three sixth year girls, one Hufflepuff and two Slytherins, shouting and then pulling hair in front of the window. He quickly told Shaun to stay where he was and to keep under the table so no one would trip over him or find him, and went out, snarl firmly in place to stop the cat fight.

Shaun stayed hunched under the table even though the noise of the fight was frightening him and reminding him of his uncle's yelling. He cringed back and almost bumped the legs of a third year Ravenclaw who had sat down in his daddy's chair and dropped his heavy shopping bag from the apothecary shop, spilling the contents under the table. Shaun kept backing up under his daddy's cloak as the student crawled under the table trying to retrieve all of his dropped ingredients.

"What have we here, a little boy all by himself? And taking the only table in the whole place, we can't have that can we, guys." Shaun had thought for a moment that the three very big guys were talking about him, but it seemed they were bullying the one in his daddy's chair. The three Slytherins started stomping on the third year's purchases, crushing all of his potions ingredients that had spilled out all over the place. A sickening greenish grey cloud began to form just as Professor Snape swept into the bookstore. He stalked over towards the table, took in the scene in one furious glance, and casting a '_sonorous_' charm called for the immediate evacuation of the store.

"_Everyone leave the premises immediately, there has been a potentially dangerous potions spill! Leave everything and head outside! **NOW**_!" He took note of the four students involved as he cast a series of spells to clear the air and an '_evanesco_' to remove the left over jumbled mess of ingredients from the floor.

He looked around to make sure everyone had left and went to pick up his belongings, only then finding the unconscious form of his son completely covered by his fallen cloak. He scooped up the limp child and apperated immediately to the gates of Hogwarts. Not caring who could see him, he ran cradling his child and calling for him to wake up all the way to the fourth floor infirmary. He crashed though the double doors and yelled, "_Poppy, I need you, now! There has been an accident in Hogsmeade." _

Poppy came running out of her office, her wand at the ready, sure she would find every bed full of injured students; only to find one distraught potions master with his hands full of invisible toddler. "Oh dear, what happened to him, Severus?"

"I don't know for certain, there were three seventh year Slytherins crushing a bag full of potions ingredients that Mr. Cooper had apparently just purchased at the apothecary shop. I cleared the shop and the cloud of noxious smoke, and then I got rid of the mess, I _forgot _about him being there Poppy, I don't _deserve_ to have him. I should have kept the mess to analyze what effect it had, but I didn't. How could I forget he was waiting for me, I'm no better than his relatives, _what have I done_, **_what have I done_**…"

Poppy slapped him across the face, "Get a grip, I need your help here, I can't see him! I need _you_ to tell me _what I can't see_. My wand is only an _approximation_, I go by sight and sound as well and I'm **blind** and **deaf **with him. I need you, Severus, _he needs you_!"

Severus still looked like he might break down again, but he closed his eyes, took a couple of deep breaths and began to describe his son to the medi witch. "He's pale, and clammy. His pulse is racing, but he is breathing very shallowly." He took another moment to assess his son, "His eyes are rolled back in his head, and I can't even see his pupils to tell you if they react to light or not. Wait a moment, NIPPY!" He sent the elf to bring back Mr. Cooper. He told him to send another elf to tell Albus, Minerva and Hagrid to come to the hospital ward; that he needed to see them _immediately_. Nippy nodded and left to fulfill his orders.

Poppy had given Severus three strengthening potions; two to help the boy's breathing, and one to slow his heartbeat down. She couldn't do much more until she knew exactly what the child had inhaled. Nippy popped into the hospital wing, Mr. Cooper tightly clutched in his arms.

The poor third year looked like he had just left a particularly nasty roller coaster ride, as green as his face was, he looked like he needed a bed too. And the irate face of his potions master as he appeared from around the end of a curtained bed didn't help the green of his face either or the sinking feeling deep within his gut.

"Mr. Cooper, you are not in trouble, I understand Rockwood, Ames, and McKnight were destroying your ingredients, and you had nothing to do with it. But I need to know _exactly_ what you had so that I may brew an antidote for someone who inhaled the fumes. Can you tell me everything that was in the bag?"

"Yes, sir…eh...well…" Michael was unable to speak but he managed to pull out a crumpled parchment from his pocket and handed over a list of the items that he had purchased, including strengths and amounts.

"Excellent, Mr. Cooper and twenty points to Ravenclaw for your meticulous record keeping. You are excused now; you may return to Hogsmeade or go to your common room. Please have the apothecary shop replace these items and have them charged to the school account." Severus conjured a slip of parchment and a quill and scribbled a short note to the shop and thrust in into the still shell shocked boy's hands. Severus had managed to appear calm and professional only by squashing all of his emotions down with an iron will.

Severus ran around the end of the curtain scanning the list as he went, "Poppy it's salamander scales and eye of yellow lizard mixed with belladonna and tubeworm slime. You will need to give him an invigoration draft and essence of murtlap while I brew the antidote. He will need chest clearing spells almost constantly to keep him breathing while I brew this, unfortunately it will take about two hours to finish."

Albus, Minerva, and Hagrid came into the infirmary in a rush, not knowing what to expect. They looked around the curtain to find Severus feeding potions to his son, at least that's what they thought he was doing.

Albus was immediately at Severus' side, "What happened, you were both in Hogsmeade weren't you?"

He nodded, "Minerva, I need you to collect Rockwood, Ames, and McKnight from Hogsmeade. They thought to harass Michael Cooper. They started stepping and crushing his bag of potions ingredients he had just purchased from the apothecary shop when they found him alone in Flourish & Blotts. I had left Shaun under a table in the front window while I went to break up a fight between three girls over a 'stolen boyfriend' and had instructed him not to leave. The ingredients mixed together to form a poisonous gas and he _stayed_ there and breathed it in. Albus, I _told_ him to stay there no matter what and now _I've poisoned my own child_, I don't **_deserve_** to have him!" He was on an emotional roller coaster, one moment he was able to function and knew exactly what to do, the next he was falling apart and totally helpless.

Poppy stopped working on Shaun for a moment and realized that Severus was on the edge of going into shock. She summoned a calming draught, "Get this down him, Albus, the boy needs him to brew the antidote, I certainly can't! And I don't know anyone else in the country that could!"

Albus forced Severus to drink the potion and waited for the several seconds it took to begin to calm the upset man down, "Now _you do deserve_ the love of this boy, Severus, he _chose_ you and _only_ you! **_And_** **_he needs you now_**!"

Albus put his arm around Severus and looked over his shoulder at the other two, "Hagrid, I need you to begin your shift in the village early, and Minerva, if you would collect those three boys and then wait with them in my office? I am certain that Severus can think of a fitting punishment for the three."

Poppy went back to the child, "Severus, I need you to evaluate how these potions are working, and then I need you to brew the antidote, can you keep yourself together long enough to do that, please?"

Albus led the now much calmer man over to his son's bedside. "He has a little more color and he is no longer clammy. His pulse is slower, but he is still having difficulty breathing, shallow and labored." Poppy muttered a quick spell, "How's that now?"

"Better; and his eyes are equal and reactive to the light. I just pinched his arm and he squirmed and moaned, so he is not as deeply unconscious as he was. If you put your hand on his chest you should be able to tell how he is breathing, but call me if you even suspect you might need me Poppy. If I could brew this in the hospital wing I would, but it's just too complicated and needs too many ingredients. Albus, will you stay with him, he seems to trust you too. I would hate for him to wake up alone. I need to go, I need to…" He left the hospital wing, still talking to himself.

Albus sat down on a quickly conjured rocking chair and asked Poppy if the boy could lay on his lap so he could feel instantly if anything changed about him. She quickly agreed with the idea, knowing the boy would feel much better being held. She covered them both with a thick blanket and went to contact St. Mungo's about any different spells to help with the child's labored breathing.

* * *

In his lab, Severus set up a gold cauldron and began summoning ingredients, talking to himself. He had gotten so used to talking constantly to Shaun over the last four months that it seemed unnatural for him to remain silent while brewing any more.

"Murtlap essence and finely powdered daisy roots; simmer and stir in knotgrass. If I add three drops of dragon blood and dried moonstone, I need to stir twenty times counter-clockwise." He continued adding and stirring, carefully watching the potion as if his very life depended upon it. Ginger and flaxseed, lionfish and powdered scarab beetles all made it into the brew. He finally added the powdered bezoars; finished the last clockwise stir and simmered the sparkling blue potion. He was watching the final simmer, wracking his brain for anything he might have forgotten when with a flash, Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, appeared and added three small tears to the gold cauldron. The potion shimmered and turned crystal clear. Severus cast a cooling charm, bottled the brew and took off at a run towards the infirmary. He didn't even notice when he knocked down two small first year Gryffindors in his rush to return to his boy.

He practically flew through the doors and slid to a stop at the curtain. Albus Dumbledore was sitting in a padded rocking chair, holding his son to his chest; a single tear tracing its way down his cheek. Fear gripped Severus' chest, he could feel his heart pounding against his chest, hammering his ribs. He had been too late, his boy, his reason for living, the only one who trusted him and loved him unconditionally; was **_dead._** He had been too slow, **_it was all his fault_**!

* * *

AN: Don't beat on me, I am already about halfway through the next chapter; I just couldn't resist stopping this here. I know it's a short chapter, but I promise to make up for it with the next one. Thanks for the wonderful response and your mostly kind reviews. 


	6. Chapter 6: And The Truth Shall Set

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

From Chapter 5:

_In his lab, Severus set up a gold cauldron and began summoning ingredients, talking to himself. He had gotten so used to talking constantly to Shaun over the last four months that it seemed unnatural for him to remain silent while brewing any more._

"_Murtlap essence and finely powdered daisy roots; simmer and stir in knotgrass. If I add three drops of dragon's blood and dried moonstone, I need to stir twenty times counter-clockwise." He continued adding and stirring, carefully watching the potion as if his very life depended upon it. Ginger and flaxseed, lionfish and powdered scarab beetles all made it into the brew. He finally added the powdered bezoars; finished the last clockwise stir and simmered the sparkling blue potion. He was watching the final simmer, wracking his brain for anything he might have forgotten when with a flash, Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, appeared and added three small tears to the gold cauldron. The potion shimmered and turned crystal clear. Severus cast a cooling charm bottled the brew and took off at a run towards the infirmary. He didn't even notice when he knocked down two small first year Gryffindors in his rush to return to his boy._

_He practically flew through the doors and slid to a stop at the curtain. Albus Dumbledore was sitting in a padded rocking chair, holding his son to his chest; a single tear tracing its way down his cheek. Fear gripped Severus' chest, he could feel his heart pounding against his chest, hammering his ribs. He had been too late, his boy, his reason for living, the only one who trusted him and loved him unconditionally; was **dead.** He had been too slow, **it was all his fault**!_

Chapter 6: And the Truth Shall Set You Free

Poppy grabbed him from behind as he started to crumble to the floor. "No, Severus, he'll be all right, he's fine. The new spell has just eased his breathing and _he is doing better_!"

Albus stood up quickly, cradling the small form to his chest, while Poppy grabbed the precious vial out of Severus' shaking hand and guided him to sit down in the rocking chair that Albus had just left. Albus gently laid the small blanket draped invisible figure of his son into his arms, and Severus clutched his son to him tightly. He patted him over, feeling his small chest rising and falling in a more normal rhythm than it had been.

Poppy handed him the potion vial she had saved him from dropping and he used one finger to open the boy's mouth and trickled the precious small dose down the inside of his cheek.

The potion administered, there was nothing more they could do but wait for the child to wake on his own. Poppy's hands were tied; as she had feared, it was proving difficult to accurately evaluate someone she could not see. She felt like she was trying to visualize a painting after only reading a description of it, she was just frustrated.

Of course, Severus was an excellent potions master, but his actual diagnostic and healing skills were limited to the normal ones needed around the school, not the complex ones involving young children, and to be truthful even Poppy was sadly out of practice in diagnosing and treating the very young child, her patients were all students and the occasional teacher. She thought perhaps she ought to find out about a refresher course if young Shaun was going to be growing up in the castle. 'Of course, if I could actually _see _my patient that would help a lot!' She thought in frustration.

* * *

Rockwood, Ames, and McKnight waited in the Headmaster's office for almost three hours, afraid to move or even to say anything under the reproachful glare of Professor McGonagall. She was becoming more ferocious than even their head of house! Finally Professor Dumbledore entered the room and sat down behind his desk. His piercing blue eyes showed no trace of a twinkle and his expression had lost any of its kindly old Headmaster visage. This was the extremely powerful and angry wizard that had defeated the dark wizard, Grindelwald, and the only wizard that Lord Voldemort had been said to be afraid of. The three seventh year Slytherins were beginning to wonder if the Headmaster really was the old coot their parents always called him.

"Is there any reason that you shouldn't be immediately expelled, gentlemen? Your senseless act of bullying put the lives of every person in the bookstore in danger. And as we speak, there is a three year old boy fighting for his life down in the hospital wing. It is only through the fast action and impeccable brewing talents of Professor Snape that the hospital wing isn't filled with gravely ill and possibly dying students."

The three boys blanched and looked down at their feet. McKnight was the first to speak, "I'm sorry sir. We weren't thinking at all, I don't have any explanation for what we did…How is the little boy, sir?"

Albus looked over the top of his spectacles for several long moments, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. "I have been in the infirmary for the last three hours, holding a small boy who was fighting for every breath he took, while Professor Snape was working against time to brew an antidote. Fortunately for the three of you, he managed to finish brewing before the little boy died, and he will eventually recover fully." Minerva let out a deep sigh and sat back in her chair, her face in her hands. Relief flooding the old witch who had feared the worst as time passed and they had heard no word.

Albus steepled his fingers as he leaned back in his chair, "I believe ten days suspension, fifty points each, and a month of detentions with Professor Snape will be sufficient. You will be instructed on when to catch the train home, gentlemen, as soon as I have been in contact with your parents. You are dismissed, and I would suggest that you avoid being alone with your Head of House, he is angrier than I have ever seen him; you have disgraced your house and indeed the entire school. Professor Snape might have cooled down by the time you return, but then again, he might not have. If there is any instance that your names are brought to my attention again, you will be summarily expelled."

He waved them out of the office and waited until he heard the grind of the gargoyle and then stood and opened his arms for Minerva. She let her tears fall freely as she gratefully accepted the hug from her friend of so many years. "Is it true, is Shaun going to be all right, and is Severus going to recover too?"

Albus patted her back and nodded, "Though I suspect that Shaun will recover before Severus does, the child is so distraught he isn't thinking clearly at all. I need to return to the hospital wing, will you accompany me, my dear?"

* * *

The two walked softly into the hospital wing only to quickly realize they needn't have bothered. Poppy had simply made the bed in the private quarantine area larger and both Severus and Shaun were in it together. Poppy admitted with a sigh, "Severus has to be here, because I can't see the boy, and so I just finally slipped him a sleeping potion in his tea. He was so tired and upset, he didn't even _notice_. But I suspect that he will still wake up if Shaun so much as twitches. Knowing what he was poisoned with, and the strength of the antidote, I would be surprised though, if either one of them is awake before morning."

Albus walked over and brushed the hair off of the sleeping man, his face in sleep looking younger than Albus had seen it in years. He was reminded that Severus really was really only twenty-seven years old, little more than a teenager himself. It was only when the former spy was awake that his face took on the world weary look of someone ten years older.

He reached over to feel the child's shoulder, glad to feel the even, easy breaths and the warm feel of his skin; he had felt devastated when Poppy first laid the child on his lap. He had understood that the child was deathly ill, but until he had felt the painful, wracking breaths, the cold, clammy skin and the absolute limp stillness of the baby, he hadn't fully realized the huge place in his heart the child held.

He closed his eyes in silent thanks, grateful for the gift of the small child into their lives and turned to the two witches, "Minerva, I am afraid that we must now leave to begin the festivities for Halloween. I trust, Poppy, that you will notify us the instant that one of them wakes up?" At her nod, he took the arm of his deputy Headmistress and led her out of the hospital wing, the mask of the kindly, gentle Headmaster once again firmly plastered on his face.

* * *

Word of the incident in Hogsmeade and it's consequences had spread quickly through the castle, so the Halloween celebration was more subdued and quiet than it normally would have been. The staff was surprised to realize how much they had come to like the '_new_' potions master and his small child. The sight of the former snarky git talking to himself, or holding a small invisible hand, the sly looks behind the staff table at food disappearing from the plate on the small table, and a thousand other things had become a part of their daily lives. And no one would object to anything that improved Severus' mood and behavior!

The Halloween Feast and the older students' dance were over early without incidence and the students went quietly and mostly subdued to their common rooms. The staff met for a quiet cup of tea and an update on the condition of the two in the hospital wing before heading to their own quarters for the evening. Albus told them there had been no change and sent them off; before going down to the hospital wing himself to check on his two boys before heading up to try to sleep.

* * *

The potion had worked remarkably well, by the time Albus had dealt with the staff and headed down to the hospital wing; Shaun was awake and patting his daddy's chest, upset because the man wouldn't wake up.

"Daddy, I'm all right, I didn't leave, just like you told me too. No body found me, I stayed under the table, and I knew you would come for me. Wake up Daddy, I'm right here Daddy, why won't you wake up Daddy?"

Shaun was getting very frustrated, Daddy wouldn't wake up no matter what he said or did and Madame Pomfrey had left them. He knew it was very late because the windows were all dark and he didn't even see many lights on in the castle. When Albus walked in he tried to get his friend Albus to wake up his Daddy. But Albus didn't see him trying to shake his daddy, and Albus didn't hear him crying, and Albus couldn't even see that he was awake. Shaun thought maybe Albus might be able to make his Daddy wake up, and he knew Albus would hold him and make him feel better, just like Daddy did.

He thought about how he wished he could talk to Albus and tell him that something was wrong with his daddy. He remembered about what Ogden, the Hogwarts Head House Elf had told him about him having to give permission to someone to hear him. He thought hard with all of his heart for Albus to hear him.

He remembered that his Daddy had told him Albus thought of his daddy as his child, so that would make Albus his grandfather.

"Grandpa, what's wrong with my Daddy, why won't he wake up?" Albus was startled to hear the small voice quivering with emotion, sounding out of apparently thin air. 'Shaun, is that you child, I can hear you. How are you feeling, I can hear that you are crying, do you need something for pain? Should I call Madame Pomfrey?"

Shaun launched himself at the old man who thankfully caught the small body as the tiny arms grabbed him around the neck. He sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hand over the back of the small head that was buried in his shoulder. "Shh, child, it's going to be all right, shh, shh…"

Shaun was crying so hard he was hiccoughing, "My…daddy…some…things…wrong! Why…won't he…wake up?"

Albus chuckled, making the bed jiggle, "He was so worn out worrying about you and working so hard on the potion to make you all better; that Madame Pomfrey gave him a sleeping potion. He will be fine by morning, would you like me to stay with you until he wakes up, child?"

The small head nodded and rubbed his face against the headmaster's robes. Albus transfigured the uncomfortable straight backed visitor's chair into a large, comfortable recliner and settled in, throwing a warm blanket over the two of them. Shaun finally let go of his neck and settled into the crook of his arm, his even breathing still hitching from his sobs every once in a while as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

At first light, Poppy threw back the curtains and found one more person than she expected to find in the quarantine room. Albus was asleep, a small lump in the blanket that covered them both the only evidence that Shaun wasn't in the big bed with his father. Severus woke with the light across his face and grimaced when the hospital ward greeted his sight. He groaned involuntarily and started to assess his injuries, until he realized that he wasn't the patient! He was the worried, distraught parent who had refused to leave their child's side the night before!

He had never understood or had any patience for parents of hospitalized children before, now he understood fully. He sat up quickly and looked around for his son. His gaze rested on the peaceful faces asleep together in the recliner and heaved a big sigh. His son was sleeping deeply, his skin tone and breathing back to normal.

Poppy was gently waking up Albus and asking him to give Shaun to his father to do a quick check on his health. She had decided that she would just teach Severus the spells and let him tell her the results! It would be less frustrating for her she was sure.

She handed the bundled blanket to Severus and told him to lay the child down on the bed so that she could check him out. She ran her wand up and down him. "Well Severus, he will be tired for a few days and we will have to make sure he doesn't pick up a cough for a while but he appears to be over the poisoning. Your potion did the trick; I would be interested to read what you brewed when you have the time, Severus. Now if it is okay with you, I would like to give him a complete physical while you are both here. The child healing specialist I talked to yesterday and again last night gave me several spells that are specifically used for diagnosing children under the age of six that I didn't know before. The spells I use are for older children and adults as I normally never have a child of Shaun's age."

She pulled a sheet of parchment out of her pocket and began to check Shaun's overall health, using the new spells from the sheet. She would cast a spell and then tap her wand to another parchment to record the findings. Albus and Severus both looked nervous as she worked, but when she finished she smiled.

"His nutritional levels are almost up to normal, he will still need to catch up some on his growth and weight, Severus, but he is gaining at a good rate. I did not take into account what muggles call 'failure to thrive' in my assessments before, frankly it is very rare to find a witch or wizard that has been starved to that point. He will need a little calcium added to his nutritional potion so that his bones regain the strength he lost; and his lungs are a little fragile right now, but other than that you have a healthy four year, three month old boy!"

Severus looked at puzzled, "I thought last month you said he was three and a half years old, Poppy now you say he's over four?"

"Well, the spells I had don't really show the age quite so specifically, the exact age in months and years matters very little after about the age of eight. And it matters not at all by the teenage years, so my spells are all geared for older children. I've haven't dealt with a young child since I left training and became the medi witch here at Hogwarts."

Minerva rushed in followed by Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arabella Figg. "Albus, there's no trace of Harry Potter to be found!"

Kingsley started talking first, "I found muggle documents that the Dursley's left England for Canada in the middle of September, but there are documents for only two adults and one child. I found not a trace of the boy in either muggle or magical documents. It's like he vanished into thin air."

Arabella hung her head in shame, "And I have to report that I was mistaken about Harry walking to the play park with his relatives, I had broken my glasses and the new ones weren't made yet, but the dark haired boy I thought was Harry actually is Piers Polkiss, and the neighbors didn't even realize that the Dursley's had two boys. I don't know where he is, Albus, I am so sorry."

Albus looked at Severus and was surprised to see acceptance in his face. Severus looked up at the group and said, "I am sure that my child, my Shaun, is actually Harry Potter. Kingsley, what do I have to do to formally adopt him?"

Albus stood and hugged Severus, "I am so proud of you my son, I was concerned when the possibility was first mentioned, and I did not know how you would have reacted to finding out that Shaun and Harry were one and the same."

"I _might _have been angry, no I _would_ have been angry at first, but I have had Shaun with me for the last four months and after almost losing him yesterday, I would want him even if he was the love child of Sybil Trelawney and the Dark Lord himself. I just remember the hole in my heart when I thought he had died yesterday and I know I will never be whole without him in my life. Besides, no one else can see or hear him, who else can raise him?" Severus said with a smirk.

Kingsley startled, this was news to him but Albus looked over his spectacles and said, "I can hear him now, Severus. He was so worried when you wouldn't wake up last night that he was practically hysterical to tell me about it and so he allowed me to hear him last night. In fact, now that I think about it he kept calling me Grandpa! Do you know anything about that Severus?"

Severus and Albus both turned toward the bed behind them and Severus held out his arms. Shaun climbed into them and patted his father's face, "Are you all right now Daddy? Grandpa said Madame Pomfrey fed you a potion because you were worried the potion you made me wouldn't make me all better. But your potions _always_ make me better, you know that silly Daddy!"

Albus chuckled at the two and turned to the others. "Kingsley, I need you to bring someone who can be trusted from Wizarding Children's Services and perhaps someone who has the authority to quietly grant formal custody to Severus; to my office this morning. I believe if Severus were to put his memories of Shaun's arrival in his lab into my pensieve, revoking the Dursley's custody and granting it to Severus will be no problem. If that is all right with you, Severus? And I am sure they will want to 'talk' to Shaun also, if you will bring him to my office after breakfast?"

Severus just hugged the wiggling body tighter and agreed as the Headmaster spread his arms, gently herding the others out of the room to give the two space.

* * *

Severus carried his son under his cloak up to the Headmaster's office. Poppy had the elves deliver breakfast and clean clothes to the hospital wing so the two were fed and clean. Severus was nervous about the upcoming ordeal, he still had nightmares about the brutalized baby appearing in his lab, and now he was going to have to relive it with others watching. He hoped it was enough for the ministry to grant him full custody. Shaun was still quiet and subdued after the ordeal of yesterday and Severus was glad he didn't have to talk much or try to keep a wiggling four year old quiet. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the information that his son was definitely Harry Potter, though he suspected that deep in his heart he had known it from the first night that Arabella had said the boy was missing. After all, how many dark haired, green eyed preschoolers that lived with an aunt and uncle could there possibly be? Especially missing ones!

He didn't realize that he had come to the gargoyles that guarded the Headmaster's office and quarters until he felt Shaun reaching forward. He watched curiously as the boy just patted the gargoyle and it opened without a word. "How did you do that, Shaun, why didn't you have to give it the password?"

Shaun's thin shoulders moved in a small shrug, "Don't know, just knew I could. Same way I can pop in the castle when I need to, and the way no one can see or hear me. I guess the castle just knows me."

Severus filed that information away for further reflection, when he had time he would worry about the implications of that, but now they had a different ordeal ahead of them. He carried his child up the stairs as if climbing to his own execution. Albus motioned to have him hand Shaun to Minerva where she was sitting in a corner away from the chairs set up around the pensieve on his desk. No one else had arrived yet and the three sat quietly talking, trying to calm their minds for the inquiry.

Minerva was happy to feel the small body settle peacefully into her lap and go back to sleep after his stressful night after the horrors of yesterday. She had been more upset that she realized she could be when she had heard what had happened to the boy, she was afraid she would not have been so lenient to the three miscreants, but Albus had explained that he was positive that while the boys _had_ intended to bully the younger boy, they had _not_ intended to create a lethal cloud of gas and they had been truly repentant. He hoped to salvage them into worthwhile citizens before they graduated. Plus he knew that whatever Severus had them doing in detention would be more than adequate punishment!

Albus' fireplace flared green and Albus uttered the password, opening his floo for incoming visitors. Kingsley stepped out followed by a witch and a two wizards, the youngest wizard obviously a clerk charged with recording the results of the inquiry.

Kingsley introduced the young witch as Grindel Whatcomb from Wizarding Children's Services and the older wizard as Peter MacCoyle from the Judge Advocate's office. Albus knew the two slightly from appearances before the Wizengamot, but he didn't remember actually speaking to either one.

MacCoyle took charge, "We are here to conduct an inquiry into the matter of revoking guardianship of one Harry James Potter from his aunt Petunia Anne Dursley and granting full and formal guardianship and adoption of said juvenile to one Severus Sebastian Snape. Auror Shacklebolt, you may proceed on the matter of testimony as to the inadequacies of his current guardians."

Kingsley motioned Severus forward, "Professor Snape if you would be so kind as to place your memories of the condition of said child as he first appeared to you into the pensieve. You may also include subsequent memories as you deem necessary to provide a true and accurate picture of his home life."

Severus nodded and pulled out his wand, he thought hard and placed strand after strand of silver memories into the pensieve. He stopped and thought for a minute, then placed two more memories into the swirling substance. He stepped back and waited while Albus, Kingsley, MacCoyle, Whatcomb and the clerk all drew their wands. Kingsley counted one, two, three and they all placed their wand tips into the substance and were pulled into Severus' memories of that awful day.

The five wizards and one witch stood to one side as he watched himself turn from the failed potion.

_He fell to one knee in front of the bleeding and badly battered baby. The child had hold of a very dirty blanket that looked as if it had once been blue but was now mostly dirty grey and brown. The child stank as if it hadn't been changed in days or bathed in months. The right arm was bent at an impossible angle and the left leg was swollen and misshapen, especially around it's knee. The toddler was bleeding from hundreds of freely bleeding lacerations, many with small sharp fragments of glass visible in the flickering torch light. There was a large amount of blood oozing from several deep lacerations in it's forehead and it's face and body were caked in blood and dirt._

Severus watched as he once again reached his hand out and the baby flinched back; a wary look of fear in its face_. "I won't hurt you child, I just want to help you. I need to pick you up to help you. I will try not to hurt you but I must move you from here." He moved carefully and slowly toward the frightened baby. He continued to talk softly and calmly to the child, inching forwards. The panic and fear gradually faded from the baby's face. The baby finally allowed the memory Severus to touch one shoulder. The baby involuntarily flinched and tried to jerk away, but gradually calmed down. "That's good, child, well, I don't even know if you are a boy or a girl, I don't suppose you talk much yet do you. You couldn't tell me how you came to be so hurt, or even what your name is could you, child?"_

_He picked the child up as gently as he could, being very careful to not touch the damaged arm and leg, but the baby never made a sound, it just shuddered silently. He summoned a vial of pain potion. He urged the child cradled gently in his arms to sip the potion. The child drank a couple swallows, and the shadow Severus watched until the baby was breathing easier and the child went limp in sleep. The ones watching the memory saw him head for his potions supply room, the limp body cradled in the crook of his left arm while he gently washed off its right arm with a soft flannel he had conjured before applying a bone re-growth potion to the tiny arm. _

Albus brushed a tear away as he watched: _the shadow Severus used his wand to check over the rest of the baby and then rubbed in the ligament re-growth potion to it's knee; before getting the child to swallow another potion for a concussion and then two different blood replenisher potions to replace the_ _blood lost through the hundreds of cuts._

Even the hardened Auror Shacklebolt cringed as he watched _Severus begin the meticulous, slow job of removing the glass shards. He would Accio a fragment and then the next, and then the next. _

The memory finally faded into a shadowy white before another memory floated into view in front of the six. _Severus was kneeling in his bathroom, the baby still cradled in his arm as he summoned several big towels and a soft blanket before running a bath only 6 inches deep into his big tub. He knelt on the floor and gently laid his bundle down on the blanket. He removed the disgusting nappy and the watchers gagged along with the memory Severus. Cracked and bleeding with open ulcers, the boy's bottom and privates were dreadfully painful to even look at._

_He lifted the boy, blanket and all and laid him in the tepid bath. He gently cleaned the boy, careful of his cuts and bruises as best he could. He had to change the bath water three times before the water ran clean. Leaving the filthy blanket in the tub, he wrapped the boy up in a dry towel and took him to lay him down upon his bed._

The next memory was upon them in only a moment: _Severus was rubbing in healing ointments and got the child to swallow a few more sips of potions. Severus then asked Nippy to fetch his strongest healing balm from the storage room and then asked the old elf to help him apply it to the ulcers and cracks in the child's diaper area. As he removed the towel every rib was visible, his stomach was indented, and even the pelvic bones could be plainly seen._

The last memory was chilling even with it's extreme shortness: _Severus had the child cradled in his arms. The child looked partially healed and Severus was talking to him gently when he asked the child what his name was. You could see the child thinking deeply before he answered. He looked up at the man, wide eyed and said softly, "Freak, my name is Freak."_

_

* * *

The memories they had shared had deeply affected all of the watchers. Judge MacCoyle took a deep breath before saying, "It's obvious the boy was abused, both physically and emotionally, and it's obvious from those memories that he was severely neglected and obviously starved. The court hereby grants the petition for termination of all rights to the minor wizard known as Harry James Potter from Petunia Anne Dursley and her husband Vernon Dursley. I am also issuing warrants for their arrest on child abuse, neglect and assault for the above named individuals. I understand abandonment is also an issue since they moved to Canada without even notifying the proper authorities that their nephew was missing?" At Albus' nod he continued, "We will take into account the care and comfort that Professor Severus Sebastian Snape has provided the minor, Harry James Potter for the last four months as evidence of his willingness to adopt the child. Is there any other information that the court should take into consideration before deciding upon the boy's placement. I understand there are special circumstances with 'who' the child is; and the fact that Professor Snape was a former death eater who reformed, and then risked his life to spy for the light. But there are issues of the safety of the child, since I image there are many of your former colleagues who would wish you, as well as the child, dead. And I am not so naive as to believe all the death eaters are dead or in Azkaban as some of my colleagues swear."_

Albus nodded to Minerva who stood up and simply came forward and waited for Albus to pull the man's arms out. The judge looked surprised when Albus grabbed his hands and pulled them gently away from his body, but he was even more surprised when Professor McGonagall placed something in his arms. He startled when the something started to wiggle and he had to quickly grab it before he dropped it. He had just enough time to recognize that he had a small body in his arms when he felt that small body start to shake and quiver. Severus stepped forward, relieved him of his burden and went to sit down where Minerva had been sitting, rocking gently and patting the air in front of him.

MacCoyle sat heavily and gasped in shock. Miss Whatcomb looked from the judge to the Headmaster and back again before demanding an explanation. Albus looked at her, his eyes in full twinkle mode, "Well, I would love to give you an explanation, unfortunately we don't have one. No one has been able to figure out how young Shaun, or Harry if you prefer, is invisible. He can also only be heard by his father and since last night, me. I however, cannot see him, only Severus and apparently the house elves can see him."

"However as Judge MacCoyle discovered, he can still be felt. So I can see of no one else that could be a proper father to the child than the only one he has allowed to _see_ him for at least the last four months. Our medi witch informs me that Severus has made remarkable strides in helping him grow and gain weight, I can attest to the fact that he is much more open and carefree than at the end of summer, and in fact has an almost normal relationship with Severus, other than the fact that he is invisible."

"Headmaster, you said that you can also hear the boy? Could you be sort of an interpreter for me? I really need to ask the boy some questions."

"Certainly, Judge, although Severus could serve in that purpose, it would perhaps be best if I whispered the answer to Miss Whitcomb and Severus whispered the answer to you and then you could verify that the answer is actually what the boy said. That way no one will be able to say that we 'fudged' the answers in any way."

"Ah, great idea, Headmaster, that will work very well. Now, Harry, err Shaun is the name I believe you go by right? Do you want Professor Snape to be your daddy?"

Both men whispered, "My name is Shaun Severus Snape and I don't know who Harry is, and he IS my daddy!"

"Well that is definite, only two more questions, do you know how you came to be here at Hogwarts and has your daddy ever frightened or hurt you, ever?"

The answers were again identically whispered in each ear, "My daddy loves me and he made me all better when I was sick; and I don't know how I got here, I was locked in my cupboard and I hurt and I wished and wished for a daddy to love me and I got one."

Judge MacCoyle and Miss Whatcomb looked at each other and smiled. They conversed together in a corner for several minutes before coming back to sit by the Headmaster's desk. Judge MacCoyle rapped the desk with his wand three times and stated, "In the matter pertaining to Harry James Potter, all rights and responsibilities are hereby granted to one Severus Sebastian Snape and the juvenile's name is hereby officially changed to Shaun Severus Harry Potter Snape. Said child may use any derivation of his full or partial name as he deems fit. This matter is closed pending the return of the fugitives, Petunia and Vernon Dursley for trial."

The two wizards and one witch shook everyone's hand though they all felt a little strange shaking hands with the invisible child sitting on Severus' lap, and left through the floo. Kingsley waited until he was alone with Albus to begin making plans to bring the Dursley's back from Canada for trial.

* * *

Severus didn't think his feet touched the floor as he carried Shaun down to their quarters. Yesterday had been one of the worst days of his life and then today was one; no it was **_the_** best day of his entire life. Shaun was his now and forever and no one could take him away!

He and Shaun had dinner in their quarters that night and then Severus allowed Shaun to play and splash in his bath as he never did before, he didn't care if he looked like a drowned rat, Shaun was his son and he was determined to be the best daddy he could be.

* * *

The next morning at the crack of dawn, Severus woke up to giggles as his son tried to tickle him awake. He kept his eyes shut and pretended to be still asleep. Shaun tried his ribs, under his arms, dove under the covers and dug down to find his feet to no avail.

Severus sat up suddenly and turned the tables on the wriggling little boy and scooped him up, blankets and all and threatened to drop him if he didn't "Cease and desist this attack, you little monster!" in his most threatening voice. The boy didn't stop giggling so Severus dropped him back down on the bed, still wrapped in his blankets. Severus then sat up in his bed, pretending to cry in loud, howling, outrageous sobs, theatrically wiping fake tears from his eyes.

He felt the little form wiggle out of the blanket cocoon, and immediately climb into his lap. "Daddy, are you okay, I didn't mean to make you sad and cry. I'm sorry, Daddy."

Severus looked out of the side of his eyes through his unkempt hair and sobbed, "My best voice, my best snarl, and it didn't bother you at all! I've lost my touch, what am I to do? You aren't afraid of me any more!" Shaun looked surprised for a moment, until he processed what his daddy had actually said to him and then attacked him with a ferocious hug, smiling and giggling once again.

"You're a big silly, Daddy. I know you love me and you wouldn't ever hurt me. Not like my uncle and aunt. And I love you Daddy, even when you are a big _grumpy_ in the morning." The little boy's green eyes were wide with sincerity and trust.

Severus sat him down on the bed so they were face to face. "Is it okay if we talk about your aunt and uncle for a little bit now, Shaun? I know you haven't wanted to so I haven't brought them up, but now I think it's time we talked a little bit. Would that be okay? You can tell me you don't want to answer, and you can tell me when you want to stop talking today, but I don't want you to lie to me. Whatever the truth is, I won't be mad at you, okay?"

Shaun bit his lower lip and thought for a moment, could he talk about what had happened in that house? He thought about everything his Daddy had shared with him and how much his Daddy had done for him. He nodded and climbed into his Daddy's lap and reached out to pull his daddy's arms around him. His daddy hugged him closely and started to ask about his life.

"Do you remember any more about your real mummy and daddy? Do you remember where you lived, if you had a pet, or when your birthday is?" He prompted.

Shaun sighed, "My aunt told me they died in a car crash when I was just a little baby. She always told me I should have died with them, that they didn't want me but some old coot made them take me. Daddy, what's an old coot?" Severus smiled at the face turned up towards him and answered, "It's usually someone older than you are who has done something or said something that you don't particularly like. It's not a very nice thing to say about someone, but it's not as bad as some things. And sometimes people call someone an old coot when they actually like them, like I just called you monster. Do you understand?"

Shaun turned back around and looked down at his lap, "So Albus is an old coot, then?" Severus couldn't help himself, he laughed, "Yes, child, sometimes he can be!"

Shaun thought deeply, wrinkling his brow in concentration, "I remember a soft voice sometimes, and I used to have a blanket that my mummy gave me, I thought I brought it with me, but I don't know where it is now. And my birthday is the same as my cousin's, June 14th, but he always had a party and I never even got a present, just locked in the cupboard so no one would know I was there." Shaun was starting to tremble so Severus asked him if he wanted to stop talking for now and get ready for breakfast, and then his daddy had a big surprise for him.

What, Daddy, tell me, please, tell me?" Shaun was his bubbly self again. Severus shut his eyes and offered up a silent prayer of thanks to whatever god there might be that the boy's spirit had not been damaged beyond repair by the abuse at the hands of his blasted relatives. It had taken four long months, but the child no longer sat quietly in a corner, pretending that he didn't exist.

Severus had only thought he preferred the unnaturally quiet child, he decided he much preferred the happy one. Perhaps Shaun would soon let others see him, it still made his heart warm to know that he was the only one the boy trusted with his appearance, but it was a little bizarre, and he doubted that the students hadn't noticed some very strange behavior after all this time.

"Well, Albus has volunteered to take my classes today so I thought we could go back and finish our day in Hogsmeade that was interrupted. I don't have to do anything besides go in and out of the shops and show you everything, and maybe get you some warmer winter clothes. So you get to go to Honeyduke's for chocolate frogs and the bookstore for a couple of new books. And then after that we'll have a picnic and I will tell you the true story of your mummy and daddy who loved you so much, and when your _real birthday_ is and any other questions you have. So go get dressed so we can eat and then walk down while the students are in their first classes." He swatted the boy on the bottom as he scrambled out of his daddy's big bed and ran to his own room to get his clothes.

Severus wondered if the time would soon come when he would actually use the room for more than storing his possessions, but he thought as he was getting dressed, that there was really no hurry for the small boy to move out of his bedroom. He smiled as he thought of the day ahead, just the two of them, a real father and son day!


	7. Chapter 7: A Smiling Snape? Be Afraid

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

_AN: To the several reviewers who have commented that Snape is really OOC in this fic; as my 14 year old grandsons' would say **"Well, duh!"** I like to start with a single incident and then have my characters **grow** **and mature** from that starting point! If you want pure canon, go read the original books, or don't read AU! _That said, for the rest of you, thank you for your reviews and I apologize for the time in updating, I was stuck for the detentions with Snape for the three, so if they are a little mild, imagine your own for the days I don't cover.

Chapter 7: A Smiling Snape? Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid!

Severus and Shaun had enjoyed a peaceful outing in Hogsmeade; the owner of Flourish & Blotts had even waived the cost of the books they had selected as a thank you for averting the disaster the previous morning. So with bags of purchases sent back to the castle with Nippy, the two set out to enjoy the last of the fall sunshine with their picnic.

After eating their sandwiches and crisps, Severus sat Shaun on his lap and read him one of the many children's books that Severus had picked out for Shaun. This one told the much sanitized story of the 'Boy-Who-Lived' and the evil dark lord that wanted to kill him. Severus felt the story, with the pictures of his parents and him as a baby, would be a good foundation for telling him the truth about what had happened later on.

Shaun had settled down to take a short nap as his father read one of his new books, the tall man had his back to a tree and was sitting stretched out on the picnic blanket as Shaun slept using his lap as a pillow and his cloak as a blanket. The remains of their picnic were spread around them and Severus was occasionally sipping the icy chilled butter beer that Nippy had supplied for him. Severus put down his book and looked at the scene spread out before him. He sighed in contentment, 'Life is good!'

When Shaun awoke they spent the rest of the afternoon with Shaun practicing on his toy broom, his father's watchful eye and vigilant wand on him the entire time. He zoomed and turned and delighted in the feeling of joy that riding his broom gave him, except it was much too slow, it didn't go as fast or as high as his daddy's broom did. He thought as he rode and opened his senses to the magic he felt enveloping the broom; he almost had it figured out when his daddy called him down to land. It was time to return to the castle in order to get ready for dinner in the Great Hall.

Shaun let his daddy pick him up and carry him back home, all the while thinking on the spells that were on his small broom, now safely shrunk and stowed in his daddy's robe pocket along with all of their picnic things. If he could just figure out how to make his broom go like his daddy's, hmm…

* * *

Severus spent the next nine days planning out detentions for the three imbeciles that had hurt his son, Albus had informed him that he was _not allowed_ to do anything _permanently_ damaging, but that left a lot of leeway and he fully intended to use it. He also knew that the whole of Slytherin House would be exacting revenge of their own, after all the 150 points the three had lost in one afternoon would be nearly impossible to make up! And Severus knew that several of his Slytherin's were even more creative than he was.

When he wasn't plotting revenge, he spent as much time as he could with Shaun, the incident had pushed back the small boy's recovery from his blasted relatives by at least a month. Shaun still smiled and giggled softly around Severus though it was somewhat subdued, but he was once again reserved and shy around everyone else. And the boy was tired and even cranky at times when his inability to catch his breath made him frustrated. And that made Severus, Albus and Minerva upset. Those three troublemakers wouldn't know what hit them; very seldom did anyone manage to get the entire staff and faculty mad at them at once! _But they had_!

* * *

Rockwood, Ames, and McKnight had arrived back in the castle just in time to be late for dinner. They pushed open the doors of the Great Hall and walked quietly, heads bowed, over to their house table. The students all slid down to allow a large space for them to sit at one end, totally alone.

Ames gulped; he looked up at the staff table and tried to sink through the floor. The Headmaster was glaring at them, Professor McGonagall had her lips pursed and looked stern and angry; in fact all of the staff looked angry, except for Professor Snape. His expression was the scariest of all, he was smiling, a feral predatory smile!

Ames remembered that smile from his older brother's face, just as he would kill another rabbit with a slashing hex or a Reducto! The older brother that he hadn't seen in six years since he had been sent to Azkaban for killing four muggles at the direction of the Dark Lord. Ames picked at his food, unable to swallow much of the sawdust he now had on his plate.

Rockwood had a matching expression on his face, as Severus Snape, former death eater and now head of the House of Slytherin smiled down on the trio. McKnight had his back to the staff, and was eating as if nothing had happened. Until he looked at his two friends on the opposite side of the table. He stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth, then turned and looked over his shoulder at what had his two mates looking like they would be dead at any second. All of a sudden, his steak and kidney pie tasted like one of his little sister's mud pies.

The three looked around the room, looking for support from other students and found none. Even the other Slytherins were glaring at them. When the first student from another table left, the three fled back to the dungeon common room, they didn't run, but they had never walked faster in their lives.

* * *

Nippy was playing with Shaun in Professor Snape's office during second period the next day, instead of Shaun shadowing his father during class as he had been since the beginning of school. Shaun really didn't want to be left where he couldn't be with his daddy, but Severus had explained to him that there was probably going to be a lot of scary yelling because that was the class that the three bullies that had made him sick were in. Severus didn't want to scare Shaun so he had convinced his son to stay with their house elf in the next room. Shaun had been promised that if he really needed his daddy, Nippy would send a message to him and he would come right away. And Grandpa Albus had said that he might stay in his office and play with his whirling silver thingies if he wanted to.

Shaun could hear his daddy's voice even through the heavy oak door and decided he was glad he wasn't in the room, even though he knew his daddy wasn't mad at _him_; it still would have scared him.

* * *

Professor Snape was letting out every frustration, every bottled up bit of anger and resentment from the last four months out on the three hapless students in his seventh year potion's class. He had kept them back after releasing the other students to go to the library for a free study period.

Ames was currently quivering in his seat, McKnight was trying to salvage their potion and Rockwood sat, the potion's masters cold, calculating voice tearing him to shreds from just inches in front of his face.

"I though a seventh year student would be aware of the dangers of mixing unknown potions ingredients; the potential for deadly _gases_, even **_explosions_**. The unrestrained mixing of several of those ingredients could have reduced _half_ of Hogsmeade to a _pile of rubble_. If Mr. Cooper had not had an exact list of what he had purchased, you would have **_killed_** an innocent four year old child, an innocent child who spent the next day in a _coma_, fighting for every breath, an innocent child who is not _fully recovered_ to this day!"

Snape waved his wand and Evanesco-ed the mess in McKnight's cauldron. "You will spend the next month writing out every possible outcome of the ingredients on this list and then describing, in great detail, how many poisonous or explosive combinations those ingredients could have made. That you will do in your spare time, in addition to your regular homework. And each night at eight p.m. you will report to _me_ for detention." His voice softened into a dangerous hiss, "Is that understood, gentlemen?"

He got three simultaneous 'Yes, sirs.' and went to dismiss the three, before turning around once more. "You are restricted to the castle, you will be in the common room, your dorm room, the Great Hall or your classroom _at all times_. You will ask me or another staff member for permission any time you need to use the library or any other room in the castle. The headmaster has informed me that you will be _expelled_ for any infraction. I suggest you take the opportunity for reflection on what would have happened had I not returned at that exact moment. You would now be at _Azkaban_ for life and might be facing the **_dementors' kiss_** for **_murder_**. Now leave my sight, you disgust me!" His voice had gotten softer and colder with each sentence, until the last was hissed in a barely audible whisper; that was more menacing and chilling than yelling could ever be.

* * *

Severus reached into his pocket and took a strong calming potion, he knew that Shaun could probably hear some of that and he knew he had to be calm to reassure the child that everything was all right. He paced and organized the homework he needed to take back to their quarters to grade, allowing himself time for the potion to work before opening the door to his office and smiling at his son. Shaun looked up at him; his eyes widened in uncertainty and even slight fear.

Shaun looked at his daddy's face, reading his body language and the expression of his eyes and knew his daddy wasn't mad, everything was now okay; he ran to him and hugged him.

"I was scared Daddy, but Nippy told me you weren't mad at me, just those mean bullies that made me sick. But I was worried you would be mad at me for getting sick. Are you mad at me, Daddy?"

"No, son, I will never be mad at you for being sick, and I cannot imagine every being as mad at you as I was at those three for making you sick. And remember, even when I am mad at you, and believe me sometimes I will get mad at something you do; I will still always love you, no matter what you do or don't do. Do you understand me?"

Shaun nodded and buried his head in his daddy's shoulder, "Can we go eat now, I'm hungry and Nippy said they have both fried chicken and shepherd's pie. And chocolate cake for pudding!"

Severus laughed and ruffled his son's now messy hair, "Of course, how could I resist? But how will you ever be able to choose from your two favorites?"

Shaun looked up angelically, "Nippy says I can have both, because I'm a good boy! Aren't I daddy?"

With a firm hug, Severus agreed and the two walked to the Great Hall for lunch.

* * *

Life in the castle returned to normal, well not really normal, it was after all a boarding school for young witches and wizards! The staff settled down, even though they still occasionally glared at the near end of the Slytherin table where the three sat huddled in isolation. One or the other of them frequently sported some manifestation of their housemates' ire at the loss of house points. The rest of the school was just happy the three bullying prats had been caught, and were getting some of their own back, since they no longer had the tacit and retaliatory support of their housemates and the teachers were turning a blind eye as long as it wasn't truly hurtful or dangerous.

They had sported pink, green and even multi-stripped hair on occasion; one sported rabbit ears, while the other two had the ears and tails of donkeys all one Saturday afternoon. They had been tripped, confused, had their fingers and toes webbed, and Rockwood one afternoon was lisping after his tongue forked and he grew a three horned _something_ out of the middle of his forehead.

Because they were isolated from the rest of the Slytherin table at the far end, right under the teachers' table, even the house elves were letting their displeasure known. For breakfast they got choices like prune juice or soy milk; with porridge or hard boiled eggs their only food. And no one had ever remembered liver and onions, head cheese sandwiches, or lutefisk on the menu at Hogwarts before, they were afraid to even ask what the bowl of pork rinds was let alone taste one. And though they did get pudding every day, it consisted of plain yoghurt or stale plain biscuits.

The three tall seventeen year old boys had not appreciated the morning they spent being small, cute six year old girls, nor the flashing pink robes and ponytails. And all of their instructors seemed suddenly unable to quickly or even completely remove all of the hexes, jinxes and pranks that they frequently sprouted. Even little Professor Flitwick expressed deep sorrow when the spell he was demonstrating in class caused their feet to swell to three times their normal size, and Professor McGonagall seemed to need their help to demonstrate every new transfiguration that she demonstrated, over and over and over again.

They had begun to check their dorm room every evening after spending a miserable morning with Madame Pomfrey who had mysteriously run out of the antidote for the itching powder they found sprinkled liberally in their robes. Unfortunately they found it after they got dressed after their showers in the bathroom.

But the worse by far were the creative detentions that Professor Snape sat and smiled through. He would sit at his desk in the front of the classroom and give them their assignment for the evening, and then he would just smile at them without saying a further word to them. Smiling and grading papers each evening for twenty days. They had to prepare the most disgusting potions ingredients imaginable, separating frog parts, collecting bubo tuber puss, and even draining stink lizard venom, which meant they had to slit the lizards' belly, remove the venom sack and then squeeze the venom out into a vial without losing a drop! And there was a very good reason they called them stink lizards!

They had thought things couldn't get worse until Snape had them clean the ceiling. He drew his wand on them, and with a malicious flick, they were stuck upside down on the ceiling, scrubbing it with magically charmed sponges and scrub brushes, three hours of hanging upside down while on their knees, scrubbing what seemed like centuries of exploded potions, grime and indescribable gook off the stone.

At the end of the first twenty days, Professor Snape sat them down at the beginning of detention and talked to them. "What have you learned in the last month, gentlemen? And I want real answers, I know if you are lying, don't even try to begin to lie to me!"

McKnight was the first to speak once again, "I hate all the bullying and pranks that we have been subjected too. I realize that what I had been doing to the younger kids wasn't funny at all; I was just a big bullying prat. I don't like what I would have become if I hadn't been stopped. I'm really sorry that little boy was hurt, but I'm really not sorry that I was caught. I can't say I won't ever do anything stupid again, but I can say I won't ever be deliberately mean or a bully again. And I'm very sorry for losing points and making all the work for you, sir. I deserved everything I got, well maybe not the liver and onions and the stink lizard venom." He hung his head in true remorse and contrition, genuinely sorry for being a bully.

Severus looked at the other two, Ames just shrugged and whispered, "I don't like being bullied and treated like dragon dung, but I don't think we deserved what has happened to us, I mean, everyone bullies the younger kids, we just got caught."

"So you see no difference between someone giving you pink hair for an hour and almost killing a child? No degree of disparity between potentially blowing up half of Hogsmeade and a tripping jinx in the hall?" Severus' voice was quiet and quite calm.

"Uh, no sir, uh, I mean yes, sir, there is a big difference. I didn't mean that at all, I do know there is a big difference. We just didn't know what that little third year had in his bag…"

"So that gave you the right to destroy his property, humiliate and bully him, Mr. Ames?" The potion's master's voice was soft and deadly.

"No, sir, I know it didn't. We were just being stupid, I'm sorry sir." Ames was on the verge of a total mental breakdown, fighting not to cry at the menacing threat now only inches from his nose. The man might have been calmer and gentler this year, but that didn't erase the last four years of history. And the man was a mean git; he could shrivel your soul with a single glance.

Rockwood had remained silent during his two colleagues' interrogations, he still couldn't see what Snape was so upset about; it wasn't like they hadn't been bullying people in other houses since they got here after all. So they hadn't been too smart stomping together some of those potions ingredients, so what? He tried to keep his head down and look sorry; after all it always got him out of punishment with his mother, didn't it? His father had been killed by those bloody aurors when he was just six and his mother let him get by with everything if he just _looked_ sorry. Well he was sorry, that was no lie, he was very sorry they had been caught!

Rockwood felt his Head of House's eyes burning a hole in the top of his head and looked up to find his gaze caught and locked with the man's deep black eyes. He didn't know how he knew it, but he knew he was royally screwed; there would be no lying to this man. He knew he wasn't sorry, Rockwood didn't know how he knew that but he surely did.

Severus sat back on the desk behind him and looked at Ames and McKnight. "You two are excused for the rest of the evening. You are now off of house arrest, any restrictions are lifted. You will report here each evening for the next ten days to fulfill your detentions, but you will do your homework and catch up on any late work. I will assist you with any difficulties you might be having. Good night, gentlemen." They didn't have to be told twice; they grabbed their things and almost ran out of the room.

Severus turned and went to the fireplace in the corner of the room, cast an Incendio and then threw floo powder in. "Headmaster's Office, Severus calling!" When the Headmaster's head appeared, Severus motioned for him to step through and moved back to give the old man room.

"Yes, Severus, what can I do for you?" He turned as he stood up and saw Mr. Rockwood sitting at a desk, his head down, trying to look contrite, but not quite pulling it off. Severus pulled the headmaster over to talk quietly to him. "The other two boys have learned their lesson; they are now off of restrictions and will just be doing homework with me for the last ten days. Rockwood is only upset that he got caught, he has learned nothing and will most likely seek revenge from anyone who has slighted him, or he thinks has slighted him. I would worry for the younger students, especially Mr. Cooper if he were to remain in the castle. And I fear he is too old for us to change in the seven months left of school."

Albus nodded thoughtfully and walked over to Mr. Rockwood and stood silently and patiently in front of him. Finally curiosity overcame the seventeen year old and he looked up only to have his gaze trapped once again, only this time into rock hard blue eyes. He felt as if he was judged and found badly wanting in the next few minutes. Albus shook his head sadly and deliberately; "I am sorry, Mr. Rockwood, it appears that you will not allow yourself to learn the most important lesson that we teach in this school. I fear that if we allowed you to continue to attend, your behavior would ultimately endanger the lives of the other children here."

"Severus, if you could escort Mr. Rockwood back to his dorm to collect his belongings while I notify his mother and make arrangements for him to be returned home. Good bye Mr. Rockwood, I am sorry that we were unable to teach you that all people deserve the right to feel safe in their home and that _all_ people are of equal worth and deserve to have their feelings and belongings respected."

In less than an hour, Mr. Rockwood had been returned to his mother's home with charges of assault against Mr. Cooper, and reckless endangerment against all those in Flourish & Blott's filed at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

* * *

During breakfast the next morning, the doors of the Great Hall banged back to reveal Minister Fudge and his entourage striding towards the staff table, the minister's face angry and flustered, his lime green bowler hat clashing madly with the deep red flush of his face. "Headmaster, I must protest the papers that have just come to my attention!"

"Cornelius, perhaps we could adjourn to my office, I am sure the students need to finish their breakfasts and then go to classes without hearing our discussion." The students thought they would much rather hear a fight between their headmaster and the Minister of Magic than go to class any day, but it was not to be. Fudge looked around and startled, as if surprised to find himself in the crowded Great Hall during breakfast.

"Well, yes, yes, just finish up and go to class, yes that's right." spluttered Fudge.

They had barely entered the Headmaster's office when Fudge shook a sheaf of parchments under the wizard's nose and started yelling, "I just found out that the Potter boy was removed from his rightful relatives' house and adopted by a former death eater, and you arranged the whole incident! You had no right! I demand you place that boy right back with his aunt, right now!"

Snape had rightly guessed what the reason for the Minister's unexpected visit was, and he had left Shaun with Nippy and then come up to the Headmaster's office. He looked at his mentor and suggested, "Perhaps the Minister needs to see my memories also, Headmaster?"

Albus nodded and reached into his cabinet for his pensieve, placed in onto the desk and stood back while Severus once again placed the gossamer threads of his memories of Shaun's arrival into it.

Only Albus, Severus and Cornelius entered the pensieve, the others in his bodyguard and the clerks he always had following him didn't need to know the information that his memories contained. Severus had not only put his memories of the battered baby and the care he had had to provide, but the conversations about the Dursley's moving to Canada and not notifying anyone that the boy had been missing for over two months from their house. He did not include any of the unique abilities that his son had, he didn't think the minister needed to know about them; after all, the boy was much safer if no one knew where he was or the fact that he was invisible.

Severus had included several other memories taken over the last months, his favorites of the times he spent with his son; the momentous memory of his son accepting him and declaring himself, _Shaun Severus Snape_, the hugs and kisses, the last physical where Poppy had declared him completely healed. And finally the boy learning to fly, and even the picnic where Severus had begun to gently explain to the boy who he was and what had happened to his first daddy and his mommy.

Cornelius was visibly shaken and had to sit down heavily on a chair that Snape shoved behind him. "My word, Albus, how, why, I mean how they…their own flesh and blood could be so cruel, where are they…?"

The Minister looked up at Snape, and reluctantly nodded, "Well, I guess I can't complain too much about the placement with you. You're certainly better than his aunt and uncle and I don't think anyone would be better able to protect him from your former associates. I will allow it, Albus, but I still protest at the speed and total secrecy with which you railroaded that termination and adoption through."

"Ah, but Cornelius, can you imagine the _retaliation _against _innocent _muggles, and exactly _who _might come forward to try to force an adoption of the boy, if we had gone through regular channels and advertised what had happened to Harry Potter?"

Cornelius looked defeated, "Well, I guess I will have to agree with you, after all, I suspect that the Malfoy money could have dragged an objection to the adoption out for months if not years and left the boy totally helpless in our world. I will concede that it needed to be done quickly and definitely quietly. Come gentlemen, it's time to return to the ministry. Oh, and Professor Snape, congratulations, and thank you for your care for the child, I will admit that I am a bit surprised, I had heard stories about you from some of your former students."

Severus just crossed his arms and smirked; neither confirming nor denying the stories. As the minister's entourage left once more, he calmly returned his memories to his head once more. Albus wrapped an arm around the younger man and pulled him into a warm embrace. Severus returned the hug for a brief moment before pulling away and excusing himself to return to the dungeon to prepare for his first class.

He couldn't stay any longer or the headmaster might have seen the tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. He had been so afraid he was going to loose his son, and now his heart was so filled with joy that he had an odd urge to go scream for joy on the top of the astronomy tower. Luckily he had a free period before teaching fourth year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw!

He went to his quarters and immediately scooped Shaun up from the floor and twirled around with him in his arms, "You are all mine today, son, now no one can _ever _take you away from me! I love you, Shaun, do you know that?"

Shaun loved being twirled in the air, and he was happy daddy was so excited; he hadn't liked that mad man making so much noise and scaring him. He hugged his daddy around the neck and kissed his soft cheek. "You're silly, Daddy, and I love you too."

* * *

No one got detention for the rest of the week, and no one even lost many points in potions classes. But even more worrying to everyone, Snape could be seen at odd moments with the strangest expression, …he was SMILING! 


	8. Chapter 8: The Terrible 2's er 5's

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

_AN: To the several reviewers who have commented that Snape is really OOC in this fic; as my 14 year old grandsons' would say **"Well, duh!"** I like to start with a single incident and then have my characters **grow** **and mature** from that starting point! If you want pure canon, go read the original books, or don't read AU! _

From Chapter 7:

_No one got detention for the rest of the week, and no one even lost many points in potions classes. But even more worrying to everyone, Snape could be seen at odd moments with the strangest expression …he was SMILING!_

Chapter 8: The Terrible Twos…uh…Fives?

Unfortunately for the students and staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Shaun chose the very _next_ week to finally discover the independence that is normally associated with the age of two. He found the joy and power of the word, NO!

It started innocently enough one Saturday morning when in the total bliss of ignorance, Severus went to dress Shaun in an outfit that he had not chosen.

"No, I want my blue robes, not those green ones."

"Shaun, you wore the blue ones yesterday, they haven't been returned by the house elves yet." No one had explained to the 'new' father one of the basic rules of parenting, reasoning and logic has no place in the conversation between parent and small obstinate child.

"**No, blue ones, not green ones**!" At least Shaun was more verbal than the usual age of a child just discovering their power to torment any adult around them through the use of a very small two letter word.

"Shaun, that's enough, you will get dressed right this instant, we will be late for breakfast in the Great Hall, and I have an early morning appointment about a new potion. Now put these robes on!" The old snarky Snape was beginning to break through the cool reasoning of the new Snape.

"**No, and you can't make me!"** Shaun ran for the door to the corridors and escaped, still in his footed pajamas. He grabbed his toy broom as he ran past it and swooped out the door and down the corridor and around the corner before his father could reopen the door.

Neither of them noticed that Shaun had not said the password aloud and that he had managed to over ride his father's safety ward on the door that was there to prevent Shaun from leaving without his father with him.

Luckily Severus was already dressed, as he grabbed his outer robes to throw on as he rushed out the door after his escaping son. He ran down the corridor, hoping he had chosen the correct direction away from the Great Hall. He called as loud as he dared, "Shaun, where are you, Shaun come back here!" Now he was getting angrier by the minute.

Several Ravenclaw students watched with astonishment as he swept up to them, rage apparent upon his face and snarled at them, "Have you seen…_Blast,_ no you wouldn't have, would you! Well, have you…heard…anything, perhaps, go past you?" By the bewildered and blank expressions upon their faces, he knew it was a lost cause; he would just have to keep looking on his own.

* * *

Shaun was enjoying his flight down the corridor, even if he was still in his pajamas. But his broom only flew a few feet off of the ground and it was way too slow. He was afraid he would hit a student or a suit of armor at this height, so he screwed up his face, concentrated on the magic spells he could 'feel' on the broom and forcing his own magic to '_twist'_ just so, he squealed in excitement as he felt the broom leap upward and increase greatly in speed. Soaring up near the high ceiling of the castle, he revealed in the feeling of speed and freedom. He shot through the Great Hall, enjoying the close up look at the rain and wind visible on the enchanted ceiling. A huge grin split his face in two as an involuntary squeal of joy left his lips, luckily it was silent to everyone but two very special people in the castle, but was it?

He could see a stranger in a faded robe, dripping with rain, soft brown hair windswept and drenched look up, momentarily stopping the drying spell he was casting on his own cloak. Shaun searched his memory, trying to place a name to the vaguely familiar man who was just entering the Great Hall. Recognition flared and the boy cried out something he hadn't yelled in over three years. "Uncle Moony, Uncle Moony!"

Remus Lupin's heart stopped and he stood stock still, blocking the entrance of the Great Hall, until with a deep shudder and a sigh he realized he couldn't have heard what he thought he heard, could he? The sound of a name that brought up terrible memories and heartache, it filled him with a resounding loneliness that he had been denying since that horrible Halloween three years ago. The press of the children behind him brought him back to his location and he resolutely pushed down the indescribable surge of love and hope that threatened to overwhelm him and moved determinedly toward the staff table.

Shaun was upset when the man appeared to ignore him, he knew, _he_ _knew_ that was his Uncle Moony, why wasn't the man looking up at him? Uh oh, right, he had to think really hard and _allow_ the man to see him, hmm, he felt the familiar 'twist' of his magic and called out to the familiar man again, "Uncle Moony, Uncle Moony, here I am!" there was that voice again, this time Remus could tell it was coming from up by the ceiling. Up by the ceiling? He looked up and his heart squeezed tight, it was, his _cub_, his '_nephew'_ Harry was flying on a toy broom at the top of the Great Hall and no one seemed to be paying him the slightest attention! Why was everyone ignoring the danger to the small child that was now zooming quickly out the entrance doors and down the corridor?

Remus pushed his way back out though the students, feeling remarkably like he was swimming against the tide and followed the small figure out and around a corner; letting out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding when the child landed safely. He snatched the boy up in a breath stealing hug and held the small black haired head tightly into his shoulder, tears running unnoticed down his flushed cheeks. "Harry, you could have been killed, why were you flying so high and so fast and what are you doing here anyway?"

Shaun was just trying to catch his breath from the wonderful squeeze when it dawned on him what his Uncle Moony was saying, "My name is Shaun, not Harry, who's Harry?"

Moony pulled back until he was looking at the small quizzical expression on the child he was holding. He took his hand off the back of his head and swept the black hair off of his forehead. He had to search; it seemed the boy had a new deeply puckered scar on his forehead but he could feel the faint trace of his lightning bolt underneath it.

"Oh, don't worry; I just called you the wrong name, its Shaun right? Now, why were you flying clear up at the ceiling, and who is watching you. Did you escape someone you weren't supposed to?" He would ask someone else about the name, perhaps it was part of keeping the child safe, but who would have thought they would hide the child in Hogwarts, surely he wouldn't be the only one who recognized the boy?

Shaun looked down ashamedly, "I ran away from my daddy, I'm not supposed to be out here without him."

Remus froze, his emotions roiling before he was able to say softly, "Your _daddy_?"

At that moment, a disheveled and obviously flustered Severus Snape swooped down on the two and grabbed Shaun out of Remus' arms. "Shaun where have you been, don't you ever make Daddy worry like that, I couldn't find you. What were you thinking, running off like that?"

Shaun had his head buried in his father's shoulder and Severus was too busy trying to decide if he should kill the child for running away and scaring him; or if he should hug him so tight and never let him go again to notice that someone other than he could obviously _see_ the boy.

Remus was luckily able to overcome the grief, shock and bewilderment on his face before the other two again noticed that he was standing there beside them.

Severus looked over at the werewolf, puzzled and curious, "How did you find him, Lupin? And I assume that you can _hear_ and _see _him, am I right?"

"Of course I can see him; he was _flying_ a bloody _broom_ right across the ceiling of the Great Hall! How could I **_not _**see him? And he recognized me and called Uncle Moony so I followed, Shaun is it, out of the hall and down the hall. There's his broom." With that he pointed over towards the wall where the broom was still laying, unnoticed until now.

"Come with me, we need to talk alone where no one else can overhear us." Severus put the boy down. Lupin was surprised to see Shaun grab hold of a strap on the back of Severus' belt and duck completely under the man's billowing robes before Snape led them into the now crowded Great Hall and up to the staff table. Snape leaned over and whispered something to Dumbledore, who looked startled and stood up to follow them through a door at the side of the room. They were all silent as they walked down a short passageway and then through a portrait guarding the door to a set of warm and pleasant chambers.

Severus called Nippy and had him take the boy into the bedroom to give him a bath and then finish dressing him, and to have another elf bring them all breakfast while they talked. Severus explained the temper tantrum in the bedroom that morning and finished his part of the tale with the disappearance of Shaun down a corridor.

Remus was looking more bewildered than ever as he continued the tale and explained to Albus how he had spotted the child flying up by the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall and how no one had appeared in the least concerned for the safety of the boy. He then told the two of following the child until he landed safely, and the discovery of his new name and checking his forehead for the scar.

Severus didn't look happy about the revelation that the only other individual they had found who could both _hear_ and _see_ his son was the werewolf, Remus Lupin, but Albus had a merry twinkle in his eyes.

"Remus, I assume you are here to work on the Wolfsbane Potion with Severus, and that you are currently unemployed, is that correct?"

Remus looked down, he was ashamed that he had been unable to keep any job for very long, it was just too hard to keep his condition a secret, and no employer was willing to put up with the chronic absences that the injuries from transforming each full moon caused. "Yes, Severus asked me to come and help test the potion, and I am looking for a position, but I had to recover from my latest set of injuries before I could look once more."

Albus nodded his head and proclaimed, "That's perfect then! You can live here in the castle, Severus will have access to you to test the potion, and you can watch Shaun and tutor him during the day while Severus teaches. Shaun is very bright and inquisitive and it would be _much better_ to channel all that energy into something useful instead of mischievous and destructive."

Severus dropped his head into his hands and moaned, "I agree that I need somewhere safer for Shaun while I teach, especially if he is no longer going to stay quietly where I put him, but why _Lupin_?"

Albus patted the man on the shoulder and exclaimed, "Well, that's obvious, Shaun has chosen him himself! Now, Remus, if you would come to my office when you have done making arrangements with Severus we can discuss your payment and living arrangements. As per James and Lily's will, all educational expenses are funded from the Potter Family vault and will be covered, just as the fees from Hogwarts will be later."

That said, he patted the two men and called for Shaun to come give him a hug good bye. Remus noticed that he just stood there with his arms outstretched and didn't respond to the small boy leaping at him until he could feel him. Severus just met his questioning look and shook his head mouthing, 'later' before taking the boy from Albus and handing him to Remus as their breakfast appeared on the dining room table.

* * *

Remus thought back over the strange circumstances of his morning as he climbed the changing staircases up to the Headmaster's office. He had thought he would have to endure a couple of hours of sniping and snide remarks from his old nemesis and then would be leaving once again to return to his dingy room, looking again for employment in the muggle world once more. Instead he had spent a surprisingly pleasant morning, reuniting with his long lost cub, having a stilted and somewhat cool breakfast conversation with a man he hardly recognized any more, a man he would have bet would have killed Harry before ever even considering caring for him, let alone adopting him!

Now, he had a place to live, a place he had always loved his time at, the promise of a potion that would allow him to keep his humanity and dignity when he transformed, and a job that would be a joy. To be paid to care for his best friends' orphaned son and the delight of tutoring a very bright child. If he didn't know better he would think he was dreaming, but no dream would ever include a polite conversation with Severus Snape, ever!

He rapped sharply on the Headmaster's door and entered when he heard a gentle acknowledgement of his presence. Albus motioned him to a comfortable chair and came to sit beside him, bringing his pensieve to place on a small conjured table between them. "Severus has given me permission to share his memories of the arrival of his son with you, and I have also added some of my own to better explain the situation. It will make much more sense than if I simply try to explain the unusual circumstances that surround the child." He gestured for Remus to join him, and they both touched the tips of their wands into the silvery substance and were sucked into Severus' memories of that fateful June afternoon.

Albus had to hold the sobbing shoulders of Remus as they viewed the battered baby that Severus was so gently caring for. Albus had viewed these memories before, but they still brought him to anger, frustration and tears each time he witnessed them. Remus was speechless as he watched Albus' memories of his first introduction to the boy, unbelieving the child's invisibility.

Remus had to sit down on a hospital bed as he watched the heartrending vigil Albus had made, clutching the small, frail child, gasping for breath as the clock ran out for Severus to brew the cure. He watched, astonished as Severus broke down and nearly passed out when he thought he had been too late with the cure.

By the end of the memories that included the adoption and finally telling the idiot Minister of Magic, Remus was ready to accept the relationship between his best friends' son and worst enemy. The two wizards tumbled out of the pensieve and gasped as they worked to get their emotions under control once again.

"So you understand now, Remus, why you are the only one young Shaun can have looking after him and tutoring him, now that he needs someone other than Severus." At the understanding nod from Remus, Albus asked a favor, "Would you share your memory of this morning of Shaun with me? I would like to watch him fly and be happy. Then we can discuss where you will live and what your duties and pay shall be."

Remus readily granted his old Headmaster the view of the boy's skillful flying and the indescribable joy on his face at finding his old Uncle once again. The two settled back, drinking tea and quietly sharing memories interspersed with business.

* * *

With only two weeks left before the Christmas holidays, it was decided that Remus would leave and get all of his affairs in order and move all of his belongings into a set of single quarters next to the family quarters that Severus and Shaun shared. The House Elves had no problem creating a connecting door between them and turning one of the rooms in Remus' quarters into a classroom for a primary child.

Severus was slowly reconciling himself to having Shaun away from him for a portion of each day, he wasn't happy about it, but he knew they had to do something, Shaun hadn't thrown quite such a big temper tantrum again after having to sit for thirty minutes with his nose in a corner and losing his broom for a whole month. And Severus had Professor Flitwick put all the charms back on it with a special alarm one that would make the broom stop operating if the other charms were removed. Severus had been both upset and secretly proud that Shaun had figured out how to remove the protective charms. Mercy, he was either going to have grey hair in a month, or no hair because he had pulled it all out!

Severus had discreetly owl ordered a couple of parenting books from Flourish & Blott's and had carefully read them and even taken notes on the most important items. He was now careful to give Shaun choices when it was possible and even asked his opinion if the answer really didn't matter. He had also let Shaun pick out all of his new robes out of the owl catalog since he had already outgrown the ones from last summer.

* * *

The students noticed the new man eating at the staff table each breakfast and dinner, but no one had explained exactly who he was, so the rumor mill was rampant once again. Because he always seemed to be speaking with Professor Snape and the evil man seemed to be calmer with him there, the current number one explanation is that he must be a healer from St. Mungo's; there to watch Professor Snape and make sure he didn't go any more insane than he obviously was.

The secret watchers had to be much more sneaky since the Professor wasn't spending any time outside in this nasty weather, but his very odd behavior right around Halloween had been noticed, and why was he so angry and upset about his Slytherins' bullying of Mr. Collins, he had even forced Ames and McKnight to publicly apologize to the third year at breakfast towards the end of November.

And no one could ever remember someone being expelled like that without seriously injuring another student! The rumor had it that Mr. Rockwood was spending the next three months in a ministry holding cell, before returning to his mother's house without a wand for the next year!

* * *

The last Saturday was a Hogsmeade weekend and almost everyone noticed something odd about Professor Snape, no he wasn't pretending to carry anyone or talking to himself again, but he was spotting in a toy store, buying toys! Lots of toys!

The students buying presents in Flourish & Blott's couldn't help noticing the large number of primary school books in Professor Snape's arms, and the two girls ordering dress robes for their little sisters' Christmas presents giggled at the sight of the small robes the Professor was picking up, and the footed pajamas with broomsticks and snitches were just adorable.

Severus had solved the bed problem by having two beds brought to their quarters when Shaun could no longer stuff himself into his beloved box. It hadn't occurred to Severus that what Shaun loved was the _sheepskin _and not the actual box, so when he figured that out; he had simply switched the soft bedcovering to the new small bed he had the elves put into his room and ordered another sheepskin for the bigger bed in the boy's room.

Each night he let Shaun pick which bed he wanted to go to sleep in and explained to him that no matter which bed he went to sleep in, he would wake up in his own room. The first couple of nights he had wound up with a small crying boy in his bed with him, but he would simply cuddle him and calm him down and get him back to sleep before carrying him back to his own room.

He had stopped having nightmares, though they had returned for a time after the poisoning, but that was understandable. Hopefully with his Christmas present, Shaun would want to sleep in his own bed every night. Now Severus had to stop at the mercantile and pick up the moving Quidditch sheets he had ordered for the boy's bed for Christmas, nodding happily as the clerk showed them to him before wrapping them up and shrinking them, oblivious to the group of students trying to find kitchen gifts for their mothers, who were watching him.

His last stop of the day was Honeyduke's candy store where even more students stopped in shock as he filled a bag with candies, and not just the type of chocolates that adults liked. Who would guess that the snarky professor wanted fizzing whizzbees or drooble's, as well as a whole box of chocolate frogs?

* * *

The staff didn't notice anything unusual about the hastily changed conversations when they were noticed, it was after all just before Christmas and the students were always excited and full of secret plans about the holidays, weren't they?

The groups meeting to visit were growing even larger than they had at the beginning of the school term, but the four houses still appeared to be cooperating amongst themselves, perhaps even more so since the punishment of the three, and then the eventual expulsion of the worst bully in Slytherin house. His two companions were still much subdued and had seemed to learn their lesson. Their housemates had eventually stopped pranking them, the lost house points were slowly being made up and life was once again normal, well as normal as it gets.

* * *

The students had left for the Christmas holidays two days before and the castle was mostly silent. There were only four students staying for the three week break, and since all of them were in Ravenclaw they were mostly quietly studying. The two older ones were seventh year twins that were revising for their N.E.W.T.'s and the others were their fourth year brother and first year cousin.

So Severus had taken advantage of the unusual sunny afternoon to take Shaun for a walk in the snow and to build a snowman, the first one he had ever built. Remus would be moving in finally that afternoon, he had had to get special permission from the Ministry to live near the children, and they had to show the special cell they had reinforced in the dungeons for his transformations before the ministry would even considered allowing a werewolf to live within the castle. They had explained that Severus was working on a potion to help control the transformation, and therefore Remus had to be at the castle for Severus to witness his transformations and to test his various potion varieties. The bureaucrats had finally granted permission and everything was set. Of course they had not said a word about his _other_ duties; Shaun remained invisible and unknown to the rest of the Ministry.

Shaun was standing in front of his daddy; his small hands pushing on the ball for the snowman's middle when a flash of red caught Severus' eye. He stood up, grabbing for his wand as the stunner hit his son directly in the chest. He shot a stunner back towards the trees the spell had come from but was quickly overpowered by the three stunners coming his way, his last conscious thought before the black swallowed him up was about his son, crumpled and motionless in the freezing snow.

The three dark robed wizards crept cautiously towards the stunned figure lying in the slushy snow, careful to approach, since the first stunner had apparently had no effect on him. They checked to be sure he was truly stunned, bound him in conjured ropes, grabbed onto his arms and swiftly apperated away, leaving a small crumpled form, unmoving and unseen in the afternoon sunset, as the snow started to gently fall, covering any tracks.


	9. Chapter 9: The Rescue

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

AN: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed, I appreciated the time you have taken to send me a note, good or bad. I hope that you have enjoyed this light hearted tale as much as I am enjoying writing it. That said, on to Chapter 9.

From Chapter 8:

_Shaun was standing in front of his daddy; his small hands pushing on the ball for the snowman's middle when a flash of red caught Severus' eye. He stood up, grabbing for his wand as the stunner hit his son directly in the chest. He shot a stunner back towards the trees the spell had come from but was quickly overpowered by the three stunners coming his way, his last conscious thought before the black swallowed him up was about his son, crumpled and motionless in the freezing snow._

_The three dark robed wizards crept cautiously towards the stunned figure lying in the slushy snow, careful to approach, since the first stunner had apparently had no effect on him. They checked to be sure he was truly stunned, bound him in conjured ropes, grabbed onto his arms and swiftly apperated away, leaving a small crumpled form, unmoving and unseen in the afternoon sunset, as the snow started to gently fall, covering any tracks._

Chapter 9:

Severus Snape was trapped in a never ending loop of his dreams, unable to wake up, unable to stop dreaming, reliving over and over the events of the last six months. His shock and horror at finding a bloody and battered toddler in his potions lab, healing the child as best he could, the slowly growing relationship, the joys and anguishes that caring for a child brought, the horror of the sight of the small body, motionless in the snow, followed by the deep darkness. The dream would fade, only to begin again, the bloody baby appearing once again…

* * *

Severus turned and gasped at the sight. A baby, completely silent, blood, dirt and tears making an obscene pattern on the small face. He pushed all emotion down and went into professional mode, assessing and deciding on a plan of action as he moved toward the tiny form. At the flash of fear in the child's eyes, he knew he would have to be careful to maintain a soft and soothing voice.

"I won't hurt you child, but I must pick you up." He wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying, knowing a child that injured and that young was only hearing the tone of his voice rather than understanding words. He knew he must treat it as one of the injured animals he had been treating and caring for since he was a young child.

'Broken right arm, maybe left knee, hopefully just dislocated, hundreds of cuts, most with glass shards of some kind, forehead bleeding badly, perhaps hit in the face with something glass, eyes are out of focus, maybe concussion, I hope no skull fracture or bleeding on the brain. Breathing seems to be okay, skin, what I can see of it, doesn't appear sweaty or clammy." He saw the fear begin to die in the child's eyes and stooped to pick it up as gently as he could. He felt the glass shards push deeper into the skin, but the child made no response beyond a sharp intake of breath.

'This was no accident, the baby has been abused to make it suffer pain like this without crying out' he thought as he urged the little one in his arm to swallow several pain relieving potions. He worked for over two hours, talking all the time to the small child, saying nothing important, but keeping the tone of his voice gentle and calming.

* * *

Severus picked up the small bundle, wrapped up tight in the fluffy towel and carried it gently over to his bed, "Its all right child, I won't hurt you; you are safe here now." The boy was whimpering softly, holding himself stiff and rigid in his arms, as if afraid to be comforted or maybe afraid of making a sound.

Severus laid the boy gently on his bed, hoping Nippy would return soon with the supplies he needed, when with a soft pop, the tiny house elf was beside him. "Master Snape, I have what you asked for. Nippy has also brought soft bedding for the boy, Nippy hopes it is being okay?"

"Yes, thank you Nippy, would you go to my supply cupboard and bring the jar of healing salve, the purple one. And then I need you to find something to put the boy to bed in. I want him where I can get to him quickly when he needs tending tonight. I am worried he might develop a fever, some of these cuts and bruises look days if not weeks old and some of the ulcers on his bottom are deeply infected."

Nippy dropped the bags of supplies by his master, fetched the salve from the cupboard and popped down to the kitchen to find something for the boy to sleep in. All the beds in Hogwarts were big four posters, student size and then even larger for the staff. Nothing small enough for a small scared baby to sleep in.

Severus opened the towel and took a good look at the child's diaper area. He flinched at the thought of the pain he must be feeling without a complaint. He knew he would need help and called for Nippy to assist. Luckily the last potions he had fed the child now had him deeply asleep, this was going to hurt.

"Nippy, I need you to roll him over on his side so I can rub this salve into the deepest sores, then I will need you to roll him over to get his front." Severus quickly washed his hands in disinfectant and scooped up a generous amount of thick purple salve; he gently rubbed and covered the boy's skin, making sure to separate every crack and crevice, finding splits, rashes, open sores and deep ulcers. He had to bite his tongue to keep himself from cussing out whoever had done this to a child. It was a shame he was no longer a death eater, he now had a few people deserving of even Lucius Malfoy's idea of 'fun'.

Severus had used almost the entire large tub of salve before he had every sore covered with the healing salve. He had at least two more tubs in his store room, so he should be able to have the child completely healed before he had to replenish the stock for the school year.

Washing his hands again, he returned to where Nippy was watching the child to make sure he didn't fall off the tall bed, he pulled a package of muggle nappies out of the sack. He opened one and turned it forwards and backwards, 'What in the world, how does this miserable thing go?' Finally deciding the sticky tape things must go in the back; he opened it and had Nippy gently lift the boy so he could place it under him. Even in his drugged sleep, the child cried out in pain before settling back down. 'Bloody hell, the nappy was bad enough, how does this sleeper go on?' He finally managed and even got the snaps to line up, sort of, then looked around to find that Nippy had found a large wooden box and made a bed.

Severus picked up the child and nestled him in the sheepskin that Nippy had bought and covered him with the soft angora wool blanket, carefully tucking it in around the child, it was very cold in the dungeons, even in summertime, and he didn't want the child to get chilled, sleeping on the floor.

Nippy brought him a sandwich and a cup of tea which he gratefully accepted before getting himself cleaned up and headed for bed himself. It had taken all afternoon to tend to the child's injuries, and it was still early in the evening, but he had a feeling he would not be sleeping much tonight. He laid a long delicate hand on the boy's forehead, finding a small spot that wasn't scabbed, 'Just a low fever, I'll need to treat that later, I don't dare give the boy any more potions; it would overload his system for sure.' He removed his hand and climbed into bed, asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

The boy had fallen asleep the next day after only a small scoop of scrambled eggs and a juice glass full of milk. Severus had noticed how the boy ate everything, no scrap was left of the egg, no drop of the milk remained. He picked up the small boy who was already half asleep and dripped healing, pain reducing and nutritional potions down the inside of his cheek, stroking the small throat to make him swallow the nasty tasting medicines. The small head flopping and limp on his arm, Severus found he was reluctant to put the boy back in the box. Instead he sat down in his favorite armchair in front of the fire and contemplated what had happened and what he would have to do.

He knew that Albus had said to contact him if there was a problem at the castle that he couldn't handle, but really, could he not handle this? He knew that Poppy Pomfrey and her sister were taking a muggle cruise and were completely unreachable, and none of the other staff were even as trained as he was. After all a potion's master was just as much a healer as a mediwitch, it was just he was more of an expert in _healing **potions**_whereas Poppy was much more familiar with _healing **spells**_

The small body sighed in his sleep and a small fist uncurled and then curled itself into the front of his robes. In spite of himself he let the corner of his mouth twitch up. No one would believe that an infant would ever choose to take comfort from being held by _him_!

* * *

It had been three days since he had found the child before he let his exhaustion and normal temperament flare up. The boy didn't want to swallow the nutrient potion he insisted he drink at least four times a day. Severus knew that they tasted like something dredged out of the bottom of a swamp, but how dare the boy shut his mouth and refuse to open it!

He snarled and demanded, "You will open your mouth and drink this now, _Boy,_ if you know what's good for you!"

Absolute fear shining from those exotic green eyes, the child slipped out of his grasp and ran for the bedroom. Luckily Severus had warded the doors to the corridor, his private lab, his store room and his office so that the boy could not go through them without him. In fact the only places the boy could go were the living/eating area they were in, Severus' bedroom and the bathroom.

Severus snarled at himself and quickly took a sip of a calming potion before he stalked into the bedroom after the small boy, surprised the child could move that fast with his still healing injuries; that must have really hurt. He looked under the bed, in his walk-in closet, nothing. Not in the clothes hamper in the bathroom, or under the cabinets in there. He walked back into the bedroom, was the wardrobe door open a crack before? He couldn't really remember. No, it definitely hadn't been. He closed his eyes, counted to twenty to calm himself even more and softly walked over to the barely cracked door. "It's all right child, I won't hurt you. Please come out, I know the medicine tastes bad, but you need it to make you better."

The door didn't open any but a small voice, quivering with fear, asked, "You aren't going to hit me? Or lock me in a cupboard?"

Severus had known about the hitting, that much was very obvious but this was the first he had heard about being locked in a cupboard. "No child; and I won't take away your food from you either." The child had never said anything, but it was obvious from the way he was severely malnourished, and the way he savored food and always looked like he was afraid that Severus was going to remove his plate that they had.

"I get to eat, too?"

Severus knelt down and finally just sat cross legged on the floor beside the almost closed door, 'Yes child, in fact you may eat as _much_ and as _often_ as you like, I just need you to swallow this medicine and then you can have a juice or a piece of fruit if you like."

"Could I have a peach, the picture in the magazine looked so good; I'd like to taste a peach."

"Yes child, I will ask Nippy if there are any peaches in the kitchen, I'm sure if there are no fresh ones, they have tinned ones."

The door crept open and a small body climbed up into his lap, obediently opening his mouth just like a baby bird for the nasty tasting potion to be poured in.

* * *

The child had been shadowing Severus for almost a week and Severus had been talking to him almost continuously. He sat on a high stool, carefully watching as Severus prepared ingredients and brewed potions for the infirmary and to restock his personal stores. His own supplies had been seriously depleted by caring for the boy's injuries and he was also trying to make a nutritional potion that both tasted better and was more concentrated so the child wouldn't have to swallow so much each time.

Severus was in the middle of brewing the third batch of pepper up potion for Poppy when he noticed he had forgotten to bring another bottle of scarab beetles over from the storage cabinet to replace the now empty one. He turned to find the boy behind him, handing him the bottle with the missing ingredient. "Thank you; I _was_ missing the scarab beetles." He was surprised the boy not only recognized that he had forgotten them; he had found them and brought them to him.

* * *

He found that if he put the child beside him as he read aloud after the boy's bath each evening, the nightmares were less severe and less frequent. It didn't matter _what_ he read, the soothing deep tones of his voice as he read potions journals or DADA books, it was the closeness and the sound of his voice that calmed the child better than any sleeping potion.

He found himself on more than one occasion softly rubbing the stubble on the back of the boy's head as he read and the child just stretched out on the sofa, head in his lap, not sleeping but not moving, as if he was soaking up the feeling of human contact. And Severus was soaking up the warmth of giving human contact with the non-threatening physical touch of the boy. He fondly remembered his parents doing the same for him when he was a child and felt the walls he had built around his heart begin to melt. After his mother had died, the pain of her loss was so great that he had refused to ever feel that way about anyone ever again. So he pushed away anyone before they had a chance to even get close to him, if he didn't care about them, it didn't hurt when they abandoned him.

The barricade holding in his emotions had begun to thin and even crack with the caring and attentions from the headmaster. This one small lost soul, who drank up even the smallest of kindnesses, who was so starved for physical touch and love that he never judged; whatever was given, no matter how awkwardly or hesitantly was gratefully accepted, even craved; was shattering his self imposed isolation.

Severus had opened up more and more as he had to talk almost constantly to the boy. Since it didn't seem to matter what subject he spoke on, the boy just needed the soothing baritone of his voice, he had begun talking of his own childhood, of missing his own parents, the cold and cruel uncle who had dominated his life, his loneliness and shunning at school. As the child remained silent, he poured out the deepest, darkest secrets of his soul, purging himself of the emotions he had kept so tightly barricaded for so many years.

Between keeping his hands busy brewing familiar potions and the catharsis of telling another human being all of his hopes and fears, his good experiences and his awful ones, he found the heavy burden that had held his heart hostage for so many years, growing lighter every day.

* * *

Severus found himself watching the boy and saying and doing things to make that small wan smile flicker across the tiny face. He found himself having to stifle any emotions that were not positive ones; because the boy was either empathic or extremely good at reading body language. He thought he had kept his voice calm when the boy told him his name was 'Freak' but his clenched fists and the tight line of his lips had telegraphed his anger to the boy and the boy had reacted negatively to him.

And as each day with just the two of them passed; he found himself wanting more and more to make the boy smile. Perhaps someday the child might even laugh!

* * *

Severus pulled the small toy broom out of his pocket and removed the shrinking charm on it. He picked up the boy and placed him on it, holding him steady while he grabbed it with both hands. "Now, grip it tightly with your knees and hold on tight, don't let go." Severus pulled his wand out with his right hand and aimed it steady at the boy. He pushed forward with his left hand, a gentle push as the instruction booklet had said. He moved the boy about ten feet down the corridor and turned him with his wand in a slow gentle circle and actually smiled widely at the look of sheer delight on the young child. The boy made not a sound; but the joy of his smile finally lit his eyes for the first time since he had appeared almost three weeks ago.

* * *

He relived the shock of finding out that Albus couldn't see the boy, even when the evidence of the mirror proved it. He felt the sorrow and grief that had gripped his heart when he heard that Harry Potter was missing. He felt guilty at never telling Albus that he _thought_ there might be a faded scar under the new one on his son's forehead. But if he never said anything out loud or even admitted it to himself, then it couldn't be true!

He replayed his nightmares of finally finding someone who loved him only to have that child belong to his childhood enemy. His gut feeling that if he denied it enough it wouldn't be true, his Shaun, his gift, would not be Harry Potter, it just _couldn't _be; because he didn't **_want_ **it to be.

He remembered squashing every feeling down as he realized they had figured out just who Shaun was, hoping he could keep his heart from breaking, never wanting to return to the heartless bastard he had been. His life had been a mere existence, no substance, no joy, no purpose without one small boy in it.

* * *

Every memory, good and bad, replayed like a bad muggle movie in his head until finally he forced himself to wakefulness, only to wish he was still asleep. He hurt; every bone, every muscle, even his hair hurt. His eyes were crusted shut, his mouth tasted like week old potions, and the bright lights told him he was in the hospital wing. He tried to sit up panicking at the memory of Shaun's limp body lying in the freezing snow, and shouted for Poppy before he realized he wasn't in the Hogwarts infirmary. He could only turn his head from side to side, but the ceiling was much too low and the room was much too small. There was only one bed in this room and the windows were much too tiny to be in the castle.

He tried to sit up again and realized he was strapped down to the bed by soft medical restraints! He needed to get out, no one knew where Shaun was; or even that he was no longer with his son!

He forced his mind to calm and think rationally, hmm, he wondered, "Nippy, can you come to me?"

"Yes, Master Sn…Oh Master Snape, Nippy is getting you untied from that bed, who is doing this to you, Master?" Nippy was wringing his hands in distress.

"Shh, Nippy, I need you to go to the Headmaster and Mr. Lupin and tell them that Shaun was stunned and he is all alone in the snow. We were making a snowman by the Shrieking Shack, they must find him, before he freezes or gets sick. Please go now and then come back and tell me when they find him. Go Nippy, go now!"

"Yes, Master Snape, Nippy is going now! Nippy will save Young Master and return him to you!" And with a soft pop, Nippy was gone just as the door began to open.

* * *

Professor Dumbledore was showing Remus Lupin around his new quarters as a nearly hysterical house elf popped into existence right in front of them.

"Headmaster, sir, Master Snape is saying that Young Master was stunned and is out in the snow all by himself. Master Snape was all tied down in a bed and Nippy was going to help him but he sent me to Headmaster and Mr. Lupin to find Master Shaun. We's must hurry, sirs, Master Snape is worried that Young Master will freeze in the snow!"

Remus snapped up the heavy duvet on the bed in the room that the Headmaster had been showing him, grabbed up his heavy winter cloak from the sofa in the lounge and headed out toward the corridor without waiting to hear more.

"Wait Remus, Nippy did Severus tell you where Shaun is?" The Headmaster had flicked his wand turning his indoor robes into thick outdoor gear and conjured heavy gloves and boots on his hands and feet.

"Yes, sir, Master Snape says they is making a snowman down by the Shrieking Shack and that Young Master was stunned in the snow!"

The two wizards took off down the corridor through the Great Hall and out the main entrance, Dumbledore yelling back at Nippy, "Tell Madame Pomfrey to prepare for a hypothermic child, possibly frost bitten."

They carefully maneuvered down the slippery front steps and took off running through the softly falling snow, turning right to run around the end of the lake and past Hagrid's hut. Dumbledore stopped to take out his wand and laid it on his palm, "Show me, Shaun Snape!" The wand just spun lazily, never stopping to point the way. "**_Bollocks_**!" Remus thought he had never heard the Headmaster swear before, but the situation definitely deserved a few choice words now! "Point me, Shrieking Shack!" His wand steady as a beacon, the two men began running again.

It only took twenty minutes, but to the two worried men, it seemed like hours before the muffled dark shape of the shack appeared through the swirling white of the snow. Remus opened his werewolf senses up to their full extent and turned to the left, "This way Albus! I can smell him, this way!" Remus followed his nose, and Albus followed Remus. The werewolf kneeled down beside a rapidly disappearing vaguely round ball of snow and thrust a small form at Albus, as he quickly began unbuttoning his robes. He took the small boy and put him next to his bare chest, involuntarily shivering as the cold child touched his skin.

He explained to Albus as he buttoned his robes up around the small lump, "Werewolves have a higher body temperature than a normal wizard, I remember Lily always wondering if I had a high fever when she would touch me." He had both hands under his winter cloak, holding the small curled up ball of boy. "Now put the duvet around us both and tie it in the back."

Albus draped them both and magically stuck the two ends together, shortening the heavy comforter so that Remus could walk without tripping. He put his arm around the younger man and steadied him so he could concentrate on the precious cargo in his arms. With his free hand he brought up his wand and said, "Point me, Hogwarts!" Since the snow was now falling in large wet clumps, their footsteps were already disappearing into the snow.

They pushed their way through the rapidly deteriorating conditions, the wand in Albus hand the only proof that they were going in the right direction. Only the absolute flatness of the lake allowed them to realize how close they were getting to the castle. They turned left to retrace their steps and could see the dark looming presence of the castle appear through the near whiteout conditions. Hogwarts had never appeared so welcoming and warming.

The two barely made it into the entrance hall before Poppy was divesting Remus of his burden and then she took off running toward the infirmary, leaving the two men, who resembled animated snowmen, to Minerva and Pomona to help up to the infirmary as soon as they were able.

By the time the two shivering men were being helped into the infirmary and into beds, Poppy had removed the snowsuit, gloves and boots off the boy, using feel alone she continued to strip him until he wore just his Marvin the Mad Muggle pants. "Blast! How can I tell how he is if I can't see him? Severus, how is his skin color, he's not shivering so he's too cold. My wand is only registering 33 degrees." (91.4 F) She had both hands flat on his chest, evaluating his heart rate and breathing.

She turned and looked around, startled, "Where's Severus? I'm sorry Remus; I thought you were Severus under all those covers and snow! Good job putting him next to your skin; that was the best thing you could have done, since you are so warm with your…condition."

"We don't know where Severus is; Nippy came and warned us of young Shaun's predicament. He said that he had been stunned and left in the snow, that's all we know."

Remus took the _Pepper-up potion_ that Minerva handed him and chugged it down in one big gulp, the familiar steam spewing out his ears, but warming him up instantly from the inside out. "I can see Shaun, Poppy and his skin is blue; but not mottled or purple. He has a large bruise forming in the middle of his chest, from the stunner I suspect."

Albus, the steam from his own potion starting to dissipate, came to stand beside the boy's bed, motioning for Remus to come beside him. Remus put his arm behind Shaun and dribbled the potions the mediwitch handed him down the inside of the boy's cheek. She turned to Albus and directed him to a folder on the bed beside her. "Albus, inside that folder are the parchments from St. Mungo's telling me the spells I can safely use on Shaun. I know I can't use an _Enervate_, it's much too strong for one so young, but check for me, I think I can use a weak _wakefulness spell_ without difficulty. We need to get the boy awake as soon as we can."

Remus had picked the small boy up and tucked him into his robes against his bare chest again, warming the boy with his body heat, Poppy noticed what he had done and nodded her approval. Albus quickly scanned the parchments and told the mediwitch, "Yes, you are right about the _wakefulness spells_, and it says to give the boy one tablespoon of _Pepper-up potion_ for every year of age, so four tablespoons would be okay."

Poppy fetched the potion and measured it out carefully before handing it to Remus to administer; it did look rather strange to see the steam appear on either side of his bare chest without seeing the boy at all. She used the smoke to let her know where the child was and cast the wakefulness spell. A moment later, Remus was talking to him softly, "Shaun, it's time to wake up, come on child, you can do it. Yes, just open your eyes. Shh, I'm sorry child, we don't know where Daddy is…shh, we'll find him, don't worry."

'Nippy, I need you!" The Headmaster called the Snape's house elf, and when he appeared with a pop, the small creature rushed to Remus and reached up to pat his young master in comfort. "Young Master, your daddy sent me to tell Master Dumbledore where to find you, and he is a great wizard, he is rescuing you. I is to take you to your daddy now; that is the order Master Snape is giving to Nippy. Have the great Headmaster Dumbledore find you and then take you to your daddy."

Before anyone could stop him, Nippy plucked Shaun out of Remus' arms, scooped up the child's clothes and disappeared with a sharp pop of displaced air, leaving five very stunned people, mouths open and gaping in shock in the Hogwarts infirmary. They still had no idea where Severus Snape and now his son were!

* * *

Severus Snape was fighting against the blackness again, he knew there was something very important that he had to do, he couldn't sleep, he must wake up, it was imperative! He struggled, unable to force his eyes open, vaguely aware of a warm body cuddled against his side, a small hand patting him gently on the cheek and telling him, "I'm here Daddy, I'm here. Nippy helped me find you and he says you're just sleeping." He registered the sound of a huge yawn before he felt the presence of a familiar small head dropping onto his chest. He gave up the battle and let the darkness overwhelm him once again, unconscious to the growing heat and the increasingly labored and rattling breathing of the small body beside him.

* * *

Severus awoke the next morning with the awful taste in his mouth of old Dreamless Sleep potion. He could feel the weight of Shaun sleeping curled into his side, the loud wheezing and congested rattle informing him that his child had contracted pneumonia from being stunned and left in the snow. The boy's head was unnaturally hot and sweating against his chest. Severus tried to lift his arms, to find himself still strapped down to the bed, so he started yelling for someone to come and release him.

"**_Wherever you are, whoever you are, my son needs medical attention! I demand to be released at once, how dare you stun my son and just leave him to freeze in the snow!"_**

The door opened and two men in healer's green robes rushed into the room. "Now, now Mister Snape, you need to calm down or we will be forced to stun you again! There was no one with you when the aurors brought you here, you have no son; you just need to be calm now."

Severus snarled at the Healer, how dense could the man be, Shaun was lying right beside him, wheezing and breathing heavily! Oh, right, Shaun, _invisible son_, right. He forced himself to calm down; using every trick of Occlumency he had learned in spying for Dumbledore and masked his emotions.

"Healer, if you would just release my arms for one moment, I would explain to you. You can leave my legs and torso bound, the other Healer can have a wand on me, and I have no wand. I promise to remain calm, but I can clear this up in just one minute." The expression on the face of the Head Healer of the St. Mungo's Psychiatric Maladies ward didn't look too promising, so Severus took another tactic. "If you don't want to release me, allow me to call my house elf and have him provide you with the explanation. I just need five minutes and this will all be cleared up, please."

The two Healers consulted in whispers away from Severus and finally came to a conclusion, "All right, call your house elf, but our wands will remain on him at all times."

Severus sighed and called, "Nippy!"

"Yes, Master Snape, what can Nippy do for you, sir?"

"Please hand Shaun to the Healer standing right there. Healer, would you put your arms out?" The Healer looked confused but put his hands out, only about a quarter of the way out from his body. Nippy carefully picked up the unconscious boy and turned toward the shocked Healer, placing the invisible, but very sick boy into his hands.

Professionalism overtook astonishment, "This child is sick, I can feel a fever, he is shivering and his breathing is shallow and labored and very congested. But why..And…how…he's invisible?"

"That's my _son_ Shaun, no one knows _why_ or _how_ he is invisible, and your blasted aurors **_stunned him_** and **_left him_** in the snow to freeze, that's **_WHY _**he's sick. He was poisoned on Halloween by an incident involving the accidental mixing of potions ingredients, his lungs were _weakened_ by the toxic gas and he was just getting back to normal!"

The Healer that wasn't holding Shaun flicked his wand and released the bonds on Severus who leaped up out of the bed and snatched his child back to his chest. He laid a long delicate hand on the boy's chest, snatched his wand from the dresser against the wall and began casting healing spells on the boy's lungs. Shaun's breathing eased slightly and his color improved. Severus looked at the still stunned Healers, "I suggest you get Poppy Pomfrey here immediately, she knows my son and has been responsible for his care since last summer."

The Head Healer shrugged and gestured for the other Healer to leave the room. The wizard pulled his own wand out and focused diagnostic spells towards the potions' master's chest. He looked surprised but, nevertheless, began fetching potions from the cabinet in the corner. By the time he had chosen and returned with several different potions, Poppy Pomfrey, Albus Dumbledore and an unknown wizard had rushed into the room, led by his trainee.

Poppy and Severus took over the care of the child immediately, while Albus drew the Head Healer aside and explained the situation to him, as much of the explanation as they had, which wasn't much since no one had figured out how Shaun was invisible, they of course speculated that the why was simply that the boy had figured out if he couldn't be seen he couldn't be hurt. Albus thought it might be a severe manifestation of 'wish' magic, but he really couldn't explain it at all.

Three potions and a half dozen healing spells and Severus placed Shaun into the bed he had recently been strapped in, climbing in beside his son and curling up protectively around the small body. He was asleep himself in minutes, totally unconscious of the fact that his skimpy hospital gown wasn't covering him very well at all, before Poppy grabbed the blankets from the floor and tucked her two patients in securely.

Poppy and Remus walked over and joined Albus and the two healers in quiet conversation. Healer Smythwick was explaining, "The aurors had several reports from the parents of students from Hogwarts that Professor Snape's behavior was peculiar and becoming more and more erratic; and then we got a complaint from Mrs. Rockwood stating that her son had been targeted by an irrational and delusional professor. We had to check out these complaints, and when Mr. Snape was first revived and was ranting about leaving a baby out in the snow to freeze and the Auror's were trying to kill his son, when the records don't show him having a son at all, I'm afraid we thought he was delusional. We could find no physical reason, no curse or spell for his supposed hallucinations, so we treated him with calming draughts and placed him in a healing sleep until we could devise a plan of treatment."

Albus patted his shoulder reassuringly, "Well, we do acknowledge that it is a very unusual situation, but I would have appreciated a chance to explain the situation by talking before you resorted to having Professor Snape ambushed and stunned without even an opportunity to explain himself. And since Professor Snape had just expelled Mr. Rockwood for injuring his son on Halloween, his mother's complaint falls more into the category of revenge than actual fact." He turned to Madame Pomfrey, "How is Shaun and Severus, Poppy?"

"Shaun's lungs are still weak, I'm afraid the pneumonia combined with the stunner on one so young might have some residual effects, especially when he hadn't completely overcome the poisoning on Halloween. And Severus is suffering the aftereffects of _three _powerful stunners, all hitting on his chest. He is going to have to take potions every day and take it very easy for _several weeks_, and you know how well he will respond to that!"

Albus' eyes twinkled for the first time all night, "Yes, but if he wants his son to follow your orders, he must show him how, am I correct, Poppy?"

Poppy got a decidedly evil grin on her face, "Yes, I do believe that you are right, Albus, he must set a good **_example _**for the child, after all."

Albus conjured a comfortable recliner for himself and settled in for a long night keeping a quiet vigil by the bedside of his two 'boys' while the others all left, allowing the two to rest and begin to heal in restful sleep.

* * *

Next: Christmas at Hogwarts 


	10. Chapter 10: Christmas at Hogwarts

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

_AN: I promise, no more flashbacks, I really don't like them either, I just had a couple suggestions that I had skimmed the first three weeks too much. But feel free to let me know if I have forgotten about some subplot or if an explanation of something isn't clear enough. Thanks for all of you who have read and reviewed._

Chapter 10: Christmas at Hogwarts

The two Snapes slept the day away without waking once, but the next morning, when Albus turned the corner that led to their room, he could hear Severus' blasting tone when he was still two doors away from theirs.

"_**We are leaving this blasted hellhole immediately. I am aware that my son is still very sick, and that you and your bungling aurors are the reason that he is sick! I can care for my son without the inept, imbecilic, misguided help of a poorly educated twit like you!"**_

Albus decided he had better intervene before Severus had a chance to find his wand or there would be some serious damage done to the Healer, not to mention, the very real possibility that Severus' anger would be channeled through his wand and destroy at least this wing of St. Mungo's if not the entire floor.

"Ah, Severus, I thought you might be ready to return to Hogwarts. I brought some clean robes for you and your son's favorite blanket to wrap him up in for the trip. I have a portkey to take the two of you directly to the hospital wing and Poppy is ready for your arrival." Albus might have chuckled at the sight of the two wizards squared off with the rumpled hospital bed between them if the situation wasn't so volatile. The small lump in the blankets let Albus know that Shaun was still there and he decided to shamelessly use Severus' love of the boy to help diffuse the palpable hostility of the room.

"Ah, Severus, is Shaun starting to wake up, I thought I saw the blanket move slightly?"

Severus was instantly concerned parent, rather than belligerent combatant. He turned his attention to the small form in the bed in front of him, reaching out to scoop the child up, using one hand to brush his head. "No, Albus, he's still unconscious, and burning up with fever, a fact this **_imbecilic moron_** hasn't comprehended yet. I need to return to Hogwarts to treat him; he just wants to do _tests _to find out why he's _invisible_!"

Albus stretched out a conciliatory hand towards the extremely agitated and red faced healer, "I'm sure that Severus would be happy to allow you access to Shaun at some later date, but now we really do need to return to Hogwarts to treat the boy. And I believe that there are some questions for you about whether or not you actually had the _authority_ to send aurors to stun and virtually _kidnap_ someone on the information that you had. I believe that a formal inquiry will be forthcoming, as well as the decision of whether or not to file charges. Madame Bones, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is waiting for your floo call as we speak."

Healer Smythwick had not been a schoolboy under Headmaster Dumbledore for more than a score of years, but the look he was receiving made him feel all of eleven years old again. He hung his head in shame and embarrassment; muttering something vaguely conciliatory and expressing apologies, before turning and leaving the room, hopefully to go call Madame Bones to try to explain his rather overzealous response to a few letters and one unsubstantiated complaint.

Albus draped the soft angora wool blanket out between his outstretched arms in invitation and Severus laid his son down on the hospital bed just long enough to remove the scratchy blankets and then placed his son into his mentor's arms before turning to change into the clean robes that Albus had brought. He dropped the disgusting gown onto the floor with obvious abhorrence and went to reclaim his son. Albus gently shook his head, "You are still recovering from three stunners to the chest, child; perhaps it is best if I carry him. Poppy has again made the bed in the quarantine room larger for the two of you to share. Now, if you have everything, I need to get the two of you in bed where you both belong."

Albus reached into his robes and pulled out a Hogwarts hospital towel, clutching the small, hot form of Shaun tightly he held the towel tightly in one fist while Severus grasped the other end. "Chocolate frog" was the password that activated the portkey and with a familiar tug, the three disappeared only to reappear moments later in the Hogwarts hospital wing. When they arrived, Severus unfortunately stumbled and would have fallen had Poppy not rushed up to catch him under the arms. It took several moments for Severus' weakness and dizziness to pass; Madame Pomfrey then herded her patients into the large bed she had already prepared for them.

She began handing Severus carefully measured doses of healing potions, each of which he gently fed to his son. Poppy then had Severus sit in the rocking chair, sitting Shaun up on his lap, holding him upright between his hands, the boy's limp body and sweaty head burning like fire wherever it touched his body, plastering his white shirt to his skin with sweat. Poppy proceeded to cast a series of spells directly at the area defined by his father's careful embrace.

The series of treatments took almost an hour to complete, but by the time Poppy dropped onto the edge of the bed in exhaustion, Severus looked at her with a small smile of relief on his now much less worried face. "He's breathing much easier and less congested. His fever is almost down to normal, and he is no longer unconscious. He is making small moans of discomfort and stress though, so perhaps a small pain potion and then we can lie down and rest. I admit I am almost as tired as you look. I feel the need to sleep also." Poppy and Albus looked at him, twin expressions of astonishment plainly clear. "What, I can't admit I am tired? It has been a very long and stressful three days!"

Poppy stood up and without a word, she grabbed one of his arms while Albus grabbed the other and they helped the tired father, still clutching his son to his chest, into the bed and covered them both up. Severus was fast asleep long before the two extinguished the torches and shut the door behind them.

* * *

No one was more shocked than Poppy Pomfrey that Severus Snape actually stayed in the hospital wing for the next three days. He didn't stay in bed; but he did spend a large amount of time simply holding his son while his child slept or quietly reading and talking to the boy while they sat together in the comfortable rocking chair. And just as Albus had predicted, he stopped complaining after the first potion he was presented in front of his now awake son. Poppy gave Severus his potion first, looking pointedly at the ones on her tray for his son and then simply raising an eyebrow. Severus glanced down at the boy in his lap, noting the sharp observation of the green eyes; he shrugged in defeat and swallowed the vile vial straight down in one shuddering swallow.

Poppy tried to keep the triumph out of her voice as she remarked to the man, "It's a shame that our hospital supplies are made in too small of a batch at a time to make flavoring practical, isn't it Severus?"

He glared at the mediwitch while muttering something about doing some research on the matter, since his son was so prone to needing them, before feeding his son his own potions.

* * *

Albus and Remus had come by at lunchtime to share the meal the house elves had provided and for them to take turns distracting the now totally bored four year old. They had put him down on the bed with a couple of books and begun a conversation about the Wolfsbane potion and what would need to be done before the next full moon, now only eleven days away. Shaun was bored of the hospital wing, he had read every book he had there, his daddy got upset with him if he tried to get down on the floor so he started to play the game he had invented in the cupboard to keep himself entertained during the long hours he was locked in the dark.

He made a small ball of light in his left hand and then threw it at his right hand while he made a second ball, then a third and finally a fourth. He juggled them, concentrating on not dropping them, since they disappeared if they hit the bed and then he would have to make another one. He didn't notice when first his daddy, and then Remus and Albus stopped talking and watched him in growing astonishment.

Shaun kept his eyes on the four glowing balls, his tongue sticking out one side of his mouth in concentration, green eyes glowing in the reflected light of his juggling globes of energy. He hummed a song he had heard on Aunt Petunia's radio as he entertained himself.

Severus was astonished; the amount of raw magical power that was being completely controlled by a four year old was amazing. He glanced sideways to find Remus open mouthed in astonishment and even Albus looking somewhat gobsmacked. Of course, Albus couldn't see the child, so he was watching four balls being juggled in mid air by nothing, which must be even more disconcerting!

Poppy opening the door to bring in more potions startling all four wizards in the room and Shaun dropped his control, the balls disappearing instantly when they touched the bed. She looked at the three men staring in astonishment and wonder, only two of whom could actually _see _the little boy sitting cross legged on the bed and asked, "Gentlemen, is there something wrong with my patient?"

Severus was the first to recover his voice and making it as calm and non threatening as he was able; he asked his son, "Shaun, could you show Madame Pomfrey the pretty balls and how well you can play with them? I know I would like to see them again, so I'm sure she would like them too."

Shaun looked at his daddy and not reading any anger in his body language he smiled and began to conjure the small balls once again. He had four juggling easily and decided to try for five, something he had never managed before. But he still couldn't manage to keep the other four in the air long enough to make the fifth. He cried out in frustration, "I can't make another one, Daddy but I try and try. I just can't do it!" Remus was the closest and he put one arm around his cub and soothed, "That's fine, Shaun, I can't juggle regular balls at all, let alone magical ones. Did you teach that to yourself?"

"Yes, Uncle Moony, last year when Uncle Vernon would lock me in my cupboard and it was so dark and I was very hungry and no one came for days, I made my hand light up so I could see and not be afraid. And then one day I tried to make a ball and I could and then two. It took me all summer, but I can do four now. But I just can't do _five_!"

"That's all right, son, we are very proud of you for learning that all by yourself. I think it's wonderful. You said you could light up your hand so you wouldn't be in the dark, could you show Daddy now? Severus was having a hard time keeping his anger at the miserable excuses for humans that called themselves the Dursleys; but thought he just barely managed.

Shaun was too good at ready unintentional body language not to read his daddy's anger and distress, "Did I do something wrong, Daddy, I made sure the light never left the cupboard and that Aunt Petunia couldn't hear anything. Are you mad at me?" Shaun's voice held a small quiver of uncertainty in it.

Albus quickly reached out and feeling a small head, gently rubbed it, "No child, we are just angry with how your aunt and uncle treated you. It was not right to put you in a cupboard and not to feed you like they did. We like your juggling and I would love to see your light myself." Albus was aware of a small note of frustration and longing in his own voice, "And I would love to be able to see **_you_** even more."

Poppy agreed fully with her boss, "I agree child, it would make life much easier to see you, and I imagine you are quite a handsome big boy."

Shaun thought about the two in the room and how much they had cared for him and his father over the last few months and made a decision. He looked at his father and Uncle Remus and then stared at his grandfather and Aunt Poppy. He thought he knew the answer already, but he had to make absolutely sure first. He asked Albus, a small hint of insecurity bleeding through, "Will you send me away until I turn eleven and am old enough to go to school?"

Albus was shaking his head in adamant denial while he exclaimed vehemently, "No child, you never have to leave the castle, Hogwarts will always be your home and we will keep you as safe as we can. Your daddy, the rest of the staff and I all love you very much and would never make you leave!"

"Ok, Grandpa. I believe you." Shaun nodded to himself and thought hard about what he wanted, he then thought about exactly who he wanted to be able to see him. Not Mr. Filch, and certainly not that weird lady with the bug eyes, Hagrid and all the other professors would be okay, but he didn't think he wanted all the students to see him yet, particularly not those big mean Slytherin kids. Maybe just some of the adults in the castle for now. He could always change his mind after all. So he concentrated on making himself visible to the ones he had decided and with a 'twist' he felt his magic pulse around him and then settle back into his core.

Albus' eyes were suspiciously moist as he reached out and picked up the child he could now plainly see. Poppy Pomfrey wasn't so discreet; she had tears of joy running down her wrinkled cheeks and a pleased and proud look upon her face. "I was right; you are such a handsome big boy, Shaun! Now, let me look you over and perhaps I can let you and your daddy both leave here before dinner."

As she cast her diagnostic spell, Shaun concentrated and made his whole left hand glow brightly with a pure white light. Poppy gulped and touched a spare piece of parchment she pulled out of her pocket with her wand and then handed the results to Dumbledore; Remus looked over his shoulder in curiosity before he gasped in shock as well.

Poppy plucked Shaun out of his father's lap and gestured for the three men to leave to discuss the parchment still clutched in the old wizard's hand. After leaving the room, Severus looked from one to the other, one eyebrow raised almost to his hairline in a silent question. Albus handed the slightly wrinkled paper to Severus and then guided the stunned man over to sit on an empty hospital bed. "Surely, this is a mistake, it can't be true?"

Albus conjured two chairs for himself and Remus; took a moment to organize his thoughts before beginning, "Well, the demonstration of powerful, totally controlled magic that we just witnessed makes me believe that Poppy's assessment of your son's magical core strength is totally accurate. Let's review what he has accomplished. He said he taught himself to illuminate his hand and conjure four ball of light last year, ostensibly as a three year old. He also mentioned making sure his aunt couldn't see or hear anything that happened inside his cupboard, so intentional wandless casting of both silencing and notice-me-not spells at three."

"This year he apperated from Surrey to Hogwarts, a distance most adult wizards find tiring if not impossible in one jump and to a location he has never seen, he turns himself invisible and completely silent, very obviously controlling just who can either see or hear him. He has apperated without a sound inside Hogwarts, something I might add that I cannot do. And at the age of four years old, most young wizards have yet to display any magic at all, and even those with a very strong potential have absolutely no control over it yet."

"So yes, Severus, I think Poppy's reading of his magical core is absolutely accurate and is only an indication of the potential your son has of being a strong and very powerful wizard. I am more grateful than ever for your love and care, I hesitate to think what he would have grown up to become if he had continued to live in that abusive environment. I am just surprised that his magic didn't flare and kill his relatives during an episode of their abuse."

Severus was having a hard time adjusting to the news of Shaun's potential, "Do you think the destruction of the Dark Lord and absorbing the power of the killing curse influenced this, or is this power that was perhaps transferred to the baby when that occurred?"

Albus shook his head, "I have no way of knowing for sure, of course it could be that the force of the killing curse simply awakened Shaun's magic at an extremely young age and that he will reach his full potential at a much younger age than normal so that we should read his power level as a much older wizard, perhaps one about fourteen or fifteen instead of four, in which case he would be a strong wizard but not exceptionally so. But we will have to be sure and train and channel his magic to keep it under his conscious control."

The three wizards discussed the situation for the next few minutes until Poppy came out and told them she was done with the boy. Severus returned to his son's bed to read to him once more, pushing his troubling thoughts out of his mind.

Albus and Remus walked slowly up to the headmaster's office, discussing and planning the education and strategies that would be necessary in the coming months to teach and train the boy, in both magical and muggle subjects.

* * *

True to her promise, she had released the two Snapes in time to return to their quarters before cleaning up and going to the Great Hall for dinner. Severus had lost track of the date while unconscious and then while caring for his son, so it was with no small amount of surprise that he figured out that it was Christmas Eve already. In honor of the occasion of Shaun's deciding to become visible, he dressed himself in green robes that matched his son's and the two walked slowly into the Great Hall, hand in hand.

No one had noticed them entering behind the staff table and as they walked around the end of it and over to the large single table set up in the middle of the floor, the conversation died as one by one the others noticed Severus Snape and his now visible son. The four students and Mr. Filch had no idea why the sight of Professor Snape coming to dinner would make everyone stop talking, but since they hadn't seen him at all since three days into the holidays, perhaps he had been away or very sick.

Minerva stood up, both hands pressed to her gently smiling face and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she stepped forward and bent down, opening her arms to the small boy that she was growing to love more each day. "Shaun, come give me a hug!" she demanded softly.

Shaun dropped his father's hand and ran to the woman, stumbling slightly as he fell into her outstretched arms for a breath stealing hug. She stood up still clutching the boy to her bosom and smiling happily at Severus. She kissed the small child and said, "Thank you, Shaun; this is the _best_ Christmas present I have ever received." She rubbed her face in the soft black hair and whispered so only he could hear, "I love you, child, just like I loved your mother."

When she stood up it was as if a freezing spell had thawed, the other staff members stood quickly, Hagrid even knocked over his chair, and gathered around the old witch, patting and greeting the boy in her arms to the utter amazement and astonishment of the few still unable to see the boy.

* * *

It was still dark outside the next morning when an annoying tickle on his ear was followed by a childish giggle and a much deeper chuckle penetrated Severus' sleep. He swatted away the annoyance only to have it return on the other ear. He felt a very familiar weight climb upon his stomach and start to bounce gently, though the more he ignored it the harder the bounce and the louder the giggles became. He finally opened his eyes to two pairs of equally aggravating, sparkling eyes, one set emerald green, and one set clear, twinkling blue.

One long night's sleep followed by one bouncing child on the stomach added up to one incontrovertible fact; the bathroom was calling more desperately each minute. Severus grabbed Shaun, almost flung him into Albus' arms and rushed toward his bathroom, in too big of a hurry to waste with things like his dressing gown and slippers. He called over his shoulder at the two major irritants in his life, "It's too early, its still dark outside, go back to bed!"

Shaun wasn't going to be deterred this morning, "It's Christmas, Daddy, and Grandpa says that Father Christmas didn't forget me this year. Father Christmas _never _remembered me and only left lots and lots of things for Dudley; do you think I got a present, Daddy?"

Severus had to take a moment to calm himself and wash his face in cold water to get himself under control before he greeted his son and mentor. He suspected that Albus was feeling ashamed and guilty for the now obviously very bad decision to place Harry Potter with his muggle relatives after that fateful night. Severus opened the bathroom door and opened his arms for his son who ran into them to be picked up. "Well, let's get dressed right quick and we'll go see if he could find his way to our new quarters, though maybe he thinks we still live in the dungeons?"

"No, Grandpa said he could see the tree on the way into my bedroom and he says he saw **_mounds_** of presents. Do you think one is for me?"

By the time Severus turned around with Shaun sitting on one hip, arms clasped around his daddy's neck, Albus had had time to recover his composure and offered to hold Shaun who was already dressed so that Severus could change into some warm robes. "Shaun, is it okay if Uncle Remus and Minerva come and watch you open your presents too?"

At the boy's eager nod, the two went into the lounge to place a floo call to Minerva and then to knock on the connecting door to Remus' rooms. Shaun held tight to his grandpa, his mouth open and the joy and astonishment readily apparent as he drank in the sight of the gloriously decorated tree, brightly wrapped presents piled almost as tall as he was around the base of it.

Shaun was literally bouncing on Albus' hip as he waited impatiently for the adults to dress and arrive, but grandpa refused to let him down yet, holding him up to look at each decoration on the tree closely. Severus had called Nippy while still in the bedroom and asked for snacks and hot chocolate for his guests, earl grey tea for him. He was dressed with Shaun at his feet, Remus beside him on the couch and Albus ensconced in a comfortable arm chair before the tree, each sipping a hot beverage when Minerva knocked and entered the room. She had a camera and insisted on taking a picture of the tree and the men before joining them, gratefully accepting a mug of hot chocolate but declining Shaun's offer to share his marshmallows.

Severus used his wand to flick a present to each of them in the room and then with an evil chuckle told Shaun that they had to be opened from the oldest to the youngest. Shaun never said a word, but put his hands under his legs to stop himself from opening his package before it was his turn. He was trying so hard not to bounce in his excitement that he missed the swat on the back of his daddy's head that Minerva gave him. "Oh don't tease the poor boy, Shaun, go ahead and open any present you want to in any order you want to."

"Grandma, do you mean I have more than one present?" His eyes were getting impossibly big as he contemplated the joys of more than one present.

Severus scooped him up off of the floor and placed him on the sofa between himself and Remus, leaned over and whispered confidentially, "I think this is the _first_ year that Father Christmas had your correct address, so you have _all _the presents that he had for you all the years that he didn't know where you lived, and they are all under the tree today for you!"

The four adults watched enthralled as the small boy carefully unwrapped each of his presents, full of joy and excitement with each of them, as exuberant over a pair of pajamas from his daddy as he was at the children's Quidditch balls set from Madame Hooch. He refused to be rushed in any way and took just as much pleasure unwrapping his last present, sheets for his new bed with moving broomsticks and snitches as he had been with his first set, a real junior potions set from his daddy with a promise to help him brew all the potions in it together. The adults just watched with quiet conversation, content in watching the boy's tremendous excitement, Minerva taking picture after picture.

Grandpa Albus gave him a wonderful assortment of candies and some really loud socks. Uncle Remus gave him an album with pictures of his Mummy and his Daddy James, and in the back of the album he found proof that he had been loved, no matter what the Dursleys tried to tell him. Minerva promised to make duplicates of the pictures she had been taking secretly all year long.

The five spent an enjoyable and mostly quiet morning in reflection and a growing sense of family, each bound together by the love and caring of one small boy.

* * *

The Christmas holidays passed much too quickly for all of those in the castle and soon it was once again time for the students to return. The night before, Severus had convinced Shaun that it would be much better if all the other students and staff could see him, perhaps then no one would ever stun him again just because they didn't know he was there. Severus explained that he could always become invisible again in any situation where he wasn't comfortable or around any particular students that he didn't feel safe around, but it would really be best if they could explain that his daddy really didn't have an invisible friend, he just had a wonderful son named Shaun.

Severus sat at the head table, Shaun carefully tucked inside his robes. The boy was still invisible to most people, but he had promised he would let all the students see him at least tonight. But now, the boy was still a little worried about the reaction of all those people watching him.

Albus waited until all of the students were sitting waiting and talking softly while they waited for dinner to appear before he stood up and addressed them. "Over the Holiday, a member of our staff was _attacked_ and unjustly confined because of wild rumors that have been circulating around the castle since last summer. Unfortunately, no one came forward and _asked for an explanation_ that would have dispelled them harmlessly. In hopes of putting any more misunderstandings behind us, Professor Snape would like to make an announcement, after that I want no further rumors about him, is that _understood_?" He looked around the room, glaring at the known gossipers over his half moon spectacles.

Severus stood up, standing Shaun in front of him with his hands comfortingly on his shoulders. "I would like to introduce you to someone I am very proud of, and very protective of, my son, _Shaun Snape_." Everyone looked at him in confusion until with a soft shimmer of light a small boy with shoulder length black hair and the most startling emerald green eyes appeared standing on the staff table in front of him, with his father's hands on his shoulders. The boy smiled shyly and then turned around and buried his head into his father's robes. Severus continued, "Before you start any more rumors, do not ask _how _the boy becomes invisible, because frankly _we don't know_. I have had custody of him since last June, he has accompanied me every day since then and those _buffoons_ last Halloween **_poisoned him in the bookstore_**! Whichever ones of you sent rumors to St. Mungo's about my mental status should know that in their over zealousness to capture me, they _stunned_ my son and **_left him to freeze in the snow_**! I will not tolerate any questioning of him, any harassing of him will be punished most severely and any attempt to _prank or harm him_ in any way will result in **_you volunteering to be used as potion's ingredients._**" He sat down; rubbing Shaun's back through his robes and glared at the room, daring anyone to comment.

Albus clapped his hands and the food appeared; the students began eating quietly, many looking embarrassed, contrite and some even guilty about the things they had been speculating and spreading.

* * *


	11. Chapter 11: Endings & Beginnings

Snape's Invisible Friend

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

AN: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed, I appreciated the time you have taken to send me a note, good or bad. I hope that you have enjoyed this light hearted tale as much as I am enjoying writing it.

Chapter 11: Endings and Beginnings

With Remus tutoring Shaun each day while Severus taught potions and the other professors filling in as needed for the times Remus was unable to work, life settled down. The inter house cooperation continued, apparently turning it's attention to other subjects now that the mystery of Professor Snape had been solved once and for all.

Shaun had been an avid learner when he was teaching himself, but now he became almost rabid in his quest for knowledge. Poor Remus was running himself ragged keeping the lessons fast paced enough and interesting for the energy and curiosity of the now four and a half year old.

* * *

The Wolfsbane potion helped somewhat with Remus' transformation in January and was even better in February, but it still needed a lot of refinement. Since a werewolf craves human flesh in it's uncontrolled state, when Moony had been confined he would turn his claws and jaws on himself since he was the only available creature and sometimes it would take many days or even a week for him to recover fully, and each time he would loose weight.

The staff of Hogwarts took turns watching Shaun during the three days of the full moon that Remus was indisposed, plus any additional days he needed to recover, though those were less each month. The second half of the year, the potions classes, especially those from the fourth year and up, handled increasingly difficult and even dangerous ingredients and potions, so it was impractical for Shaun to stay with his daddy when he was teaching. And Poppy was still worried about Shaun's lungs after his dual accidents and illnesses, she simply did not want him exposed to so many fumes or staying so long in the damp dungeons!

It was the March full moon when Professor Flitwick sat the boy down in the corner of his classroom with a supply of toys and books while he taught his first years' variations on the levitation charm he had introduced to them just before Halloween. The eleven year old Ravenclaws thought it was cute when they watched Shaun behind the tiny professor, one finger pointed out like he had a wand, mimicking the wand motions and saying the proper incantation, 'Wingardium Leviosa!'

Flitwick noticed his students were no longer paying any attention to his lecture about using the charm to move the large pillows into the boxes he provided and turned around to see what they were obviously watching. Little Shaun, still too skinny and short, but looking much healthier than even a month ago, had his face screwed up in concentration, little tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth, green eyes blazing, tiny index finger pointing at a huge blue pillow, carefully levitating it toward a large cardboard box.

Flitwick squealed and clapped his hands in glee, "Oh my, good job, good job, Shaun!" Unfortunately he startled the child who turned to look at him, finger still pointed straight out. The tiny professor was levitated off of his chair and floated a good half a meter over the stone floor before Shaun realized what he had done. He lost his concentration and dropped Professor Flitwick like a rock, knocking him unconscious when his head hit the unyielding stone. Several of the students started screaming in panic, Shaun looked horrified and his image shimmered momentarily before vanishing.

Several students thought they heard a very soft whoosh of sound before Tobias, one of the first year Ravenclaws took charge. He had four younger siblings and was used to taking charge of them. "Priscilla and Anthony go and fetch Madame Pomfrey; Terry and Juliana go and tell Professor Snape that his son has gone invisible again and we don't know where he is. The rest of you, leave your things and go in twos and call for Shaun, we need to find him; he looked really scared."

Tobias had meanwhile grabbed his handkerchief and was pressing it against the back of Flitwick's head where it was bleeding profusely. He applied all the pressure he could to make it stop bleeding as his mother had when his brother fell out of a tree last year and cut his cheek. The other students responded to the authority in their classmate's voice and sprang to obey.

Madame Pomfrey was three floors closer than Professor Snape's classroom, but he still managed to arrive only moments after she did. She had just finished healing the cut on the back of his head, casting an 'Enervate' she looked up as Severus slid into the room, almost at a dead run.

"Poppy, what happened, the two sent to fetch me were so out of breath and panicking that I just got some message about an accident in here and bleeding all over, what happened to Filius and where's Shaun, he's supposed to be here this period."

Poppy was helping a groggy Filius sit up enough to drink a blood replenisher and a pain potion before looking up and seeing the distraught face of the potion's master. "My students were not much better; I really don't know what happened myself. I arrived to find Filius unconscious and bleeding, Tobias White was applying first aid, you might ask him, and Filius won't be really coherent for a few more minutes until his concussion heals more."

Severus turned to the small boy that had moved to the back of the classroom, out of the way of the adults. He went over to him and sat at a desk in front of him so that they were sitting almost eye to eye. He used a tone that he had learned was soothing to Shaun when he was upset and gently asked, "Mr. White, you did a very good job, you kept your head and responded adequately, but I have a few questions for you. Exactly what happened?"

Tobias looked over at Poppy and Filius who was managing to sit up on his own now, though he still looked pale and his robes were blood streaked and disheveled. "We were listening to Professor Flitwick explaining about using Wingardium Leviosa for larger and heavier objects than the feathers we did before and we saw your son with his finger pointed. He was moving a pillow over to a box just like we were supposed to and then Professor Flitwick saw him and startled him. Shaun turned at him and somehow, then Professor Flitwick floated off of his chair and then Shaun got scared and I guess he dropped him. The professor hit the floor with his head, and it sounded awful and then Shaun just kind of, shimmered, I guess and disappeared. I sent Anthony and Priscilla to fetch Madame Pomfrey and Juliana and Terry to get you and the others out in twos to search for Shaun. I told them he was scared and probably crying and they should be careful to be nice to him. Did I do right, sir?"

Severus reached out and patted the boy's shoulder, "You did exactly right and twenty points to Ravenclaw for keeping your head and helping your professor and my son. Thank you, Mr. Wright."

Severus thought for a moment about where Shaun might have gone in his panic, 'hmm, I wonder if I will be able to see him this time, since he probably thinks I will be mad at him, how in the world did he manage that spell, wandless and powerful enough to pick up Filius?'

"Nippy, I require your assistance." Severus knew that the house elves would be able to see Shaun even if he had made himself invisible to everyone else.

"Yes, sir, Master Snape, how can Nippy be helping you, sir?" Nippy was so eager to help that his head and ears were waggling like a bobble head doll.

"There was an accident here and I'm sure that Shaun thinks I am going to be mad at him so he disappeared and popped somewhere. Can you sense him and find him for me?" Severus was curious as to how much Shaun being invisible would affect the bond between Master and elf.

"Nippy is sorry sir, but when Master Shaun is totally invisible, Nippy cannot sense him unless he calls to me, that is why Nippy couldn't find him in the snow. But Nippy and the other elves can still see him if we find him! Do you want the house elves to search for Master Shaun, Master Snape?" Nippy looked ashamed at having to admit he couldn't sense his young master. It was a good thing that Nippy was expressly forbidden to punish himself without a direct order to do so, and in the twenty years that he had been bound to Master Snape, he had never once received that order, or he would be ironing his hands now.

"Yes, Nippy, and report back to me as soon as you know where he is. Be sure and tell the others to reassure my son that no one is mad at him! I'm sure he's very upset and worried."

Nippy nodded, his ears touching the floor and with a pop he disappeared. Severus went back over to the two still sitting on the stone floor and knelt down beside them. "Filius, can you tell me what happened, I heard from Mr. Wright about the wandless levitation spell, is that what really occurred?"

"Yes, Severus, it was most remarkable, young Shaun was concentrating on moving a pillow over to a box and I'm afraid I clapped and shouted a little loudly in my excitement. It was absolutely stupendous, I have never heard of such control and power in one so young. Has he exhibited such magics before now, Severus, I would be more than happy to help Remus with him if I might?" He was so excited, he was almost babbling in happiness, head wound already forgotten.

"Yes, he has shown such power before; remind me to have him juggle for you, but do you know where he went?" Severus persevered.

Filius looked down, and admitted, "I'm sorry no, I just remember being levitated and then startling the poor child. He dropped me then and that's the last I remember."

Poppy stood and reached down to help Filius stand up, "That's enough here, I'm taking him to the infirmary for the night, Severus. I'll floo the Headmaster if you like from there, shall I?"

Severus nodded dismissively, his mind already turned to finding his frightened son. He didn't really even know where to begin to search by himself; and between the students and the house elves, they were already searching and he didn't want to duplicate their efforts.

"Shaun; child are you here? No one's mad at you; everyone knows it was an accident, Shaun?" he called out to the apparently empty classroom but received no indication that there was anyone else with him and he was sure that Nippy would have told him if the boy was still here. He sat down and put his head into his hands in frustration.

To Severus it seemed a lifetime but he supposed it was only fifteen minutes that he paced up and back, up and back. Nippy popped into existence right in front of Severus who jumped back in alarm, clutching one hand to his chest as his heart pounded. He quickly clamped down his reaction and asked, "Have you found him, Nippy, is he all right, where is he?"

Nippy bowed to his agitated master and replied, "Yes sir, Master Shaun is sitting on a crosspiece at the top of the ceiling of the Great Hall. Nippy is not knowing how young master reached there, we elves is not able to reach him, so Nippy is bringing your broom to you sir." Nippy handed Severus his broom.

Severus didn't hesitate, throwing one leg over the handle, he shot off, flying rapidly down the corridors, shooting down the middle of the staircases, and not even caring who saw him or what they thought about the sight of the 'bat of the dungeons' on a broom zooming through the castle at full speed. He said a silent thank you to the founders for making such high ceilings and spacious corridors, luckily the classes hadn't let out yet or he would have a lot harder time.

He tried not to think about how he had always wanted to fly through the halls of Hogwarts when he had been a student here, no that had nothing to do with his decision to fly to his son, rather than walk to the Great Hall and then fly, no, that had nothing to do with his decision.

Severus was already scanning the ceiling when he swooped through the doors to the Great Hall, there, up above the head table; a small form perched precariously on a narrow timber, almost twenty feet above ground. Severus heaved a sigh of relief, he could still see the boy then he silently cursed; this child would give him heart failure before he was ever old enough to even attend school! He forced his emotions behind his mind shields and slowed his flight as he floated slowly and carefully up beside the sobbing and nearly hysterical child.

"Shaun, my child, everything's all right, Professor Flitwick is just fine and he's not mad at you and neither am I. He's sorry he yelled and made you loose your concentration. He wants you to come see him so he can tell you he's sorry. Can I come up there too, Shaun?"

Shaun had his head buried in his arms; his skinny legs straddled the ceiling joist as he sobbed in fright. "I'm sorry Daddy, I'm so sorry. I won't do it again, please don't be mad at me, please don't send me away, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he mumbled between great hacking sobs.

Severus felt his heart ache in pain, after all this time, his son still felt he would be sent away if he made a mistake. "No child, remember I told you I might be angry at something you did, but I would _always love you no matter what you did_! And today, no one is angry at you, we are just worried because you disappeared and no one knew where you were! Come and I'll fly you down and we can talk if you like."

Shaun finally looked around and saw exactly where he had popped to, he really hadn't known where he went; he just wanted somewhere no one could find him. He looked over to where his daddy floated mere inches from him. He launched himself at his daddy's neck without thinking about how high above the ground they were. Severus grabbed quickly as his now over two and a half stone son turned himself into a human projectile. He grabbed the broomstick between his knees, wobbling dangerously as he fought to lose the boy's momentum without flipping them over the side of the handle.

Severus managed to keep the madly shaking child on his chest with one hand as he used the other hand to bring the swinging broomstick under enough control to safely land on the floor of the Great Hall. He dropped the handle as soon as both feet touched, burying his head into the clean scent of the child's hair as his arms tried to squeeze the boy even closer, with one hand cradling the boy's head as he sobbed into his shoulder. "Shaun, do you know how much I love you? My heart almost stopped when you were missing and then to find you perched twenty feet above the ground. Oh child, I would **_never_** send you away, you are _my_ Shaun, _my gift_ and I will always keep you close to me." He repeatedly kissed the soft head, then reached under the round chin, happy the boy was finally getting a little baby fat on him, and tilted up the tearstained face. "I love you, child." He gently kissed his boy on his baby soft cheeks and then wiped away his tears with a calloused thumb.

Shaun buried his head in his father's robes, drinking in the familiar smell of sandalwood soap and potions brewing, his small voice quavering, "I love you too, Daddy!"

* * *

Severus had cancelled the search, arranged for Albus to cover his class for the afternoon and then put the now exhausted boy down for a nap. He sat beside his son's bed, just drinking in the sight of the boy sleeping. Shaun's breath still hitched in his sleep, a remnant of his hysterical crying. He looked up at the sound of a knock on his chamber door and went to go answer. Albus stood there, eyes twinkling and a broad smile on his face. "I have just come from Filius and I daresay I have never seen him so excited. Poppy has threatened to drug him into a stupor if he doesn't calm down, so I promised him I would ask you to bring Shaun to visit. It seems you have promised something about showing him Shaun's juggling?"

Severus just rolled his eyes at his mentor and opened the door the rest of the way to let him in. "Shaun was exhausted from his ordeal so I put him down for a nap about two hours ago. He should be waking soon. Did they tell you _where _he was found? I swear I am going to be _bald _before term ends in June!"

Albus just smiled even broader, "Yes I did hear about that and a wonderful tale about someone riding a broom through the corridors and down the staircases as fast as if he was chasing a snitch. Do you have any idea who that could have been? My witnesses all claim that it was so fast that all they could recognize was a blur of black robes as the person flew past!"

Severus snickered and rolled his eyes again, "Yes it was me, but I had been told that Shaun was balanced on a rafter at the top of the Great Hall, what would you have done? I was afraid it would take too long to get there and he would have fallen before I could reach him."

"Ah yes, child, I understand completely, though I must say, I am the slightest bit jealous. I always wondered how it would be to fly through the castle. In fact one muggle born student described it perfectly, he said '**_it looked like a bat out of hell_**!'" Albus could no longer contain himself and laughed heartily at the disgusted and insulted glare he received in return.

Shaun had awoken hearing the voices of his daddy and grandpa. Grandpa was laughing and daddy wasn't yelling. He remembered his daddy hugging and kissing him, so they must not be mad at him, he thought joyously. He skipped out of his bedroom and leaped into his daddy's lap, wrapping his arms around the man's neck and kissing the scowling cheek. "Grandpa, why is Daddy mad at you because you are laughing at him?"

Severus couldn't help himself, he couldn't maintain the glare as he laughed softly, "I'm not really mad at Albus, Shaun; he just said I look like a bat when I fly."

Shaun looked puzzled, "But you do Daddy!"

Albus laughed until tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes, Severus was almost snorting as he tried very hard not to laugh, failing miserably and Shaun just looked at the two, puzzled and confused.

* * *

The two men were still smiling as they walked Shaun down to the infirmary to visit Professor Flitwick. Shaun had one hand in each of his daddy's and grandpa's hands and was using them to swing himself into the air, feet tucked up and dangling. The two were swinging him back and forth, delighting in the gleeful squeals of joy. Shaun's feet actually touched the floor about once every six or seven feet as the students they passed looked on in astonishment at the headmaster and the usually glaring potions professor.

Poppy looked up at the three wizards who burst through the hospital wing doors, still swinging Shaun between them, all of them laughing before stopping at her sharp glare. Filius just sat up and burbled in excitement. "Ah, Shaun, I am so sorry for startling you, child, I was just so excited about you doing that charm so well. And I admit I was very surprised you could do such fine magic at your age."

Albus conjured up two comfortable chairs and sat in one while Severus sat down and pulled Shaun into his lap, his arms affectionately encircling the small waist, pulling the boy's back against his chest in comfort.

He leaned down and whispered, "Show Professor Flitwick how well you can juggle. I'll bet you can surprise him again, and when he gets surprised, he always squeaks. I bet you get a squeak out of him!"

Shaun got a conspiratorial expression and began to concentrate, the tip of his little pink tongue creeping from between his lips. He held his hands out, waist high; palms up and a small glowing blue ball appeared on his left hand. He tossed it to his right hand and quickly conjured a larger red ball, followed by a tiny yellow one and a very large green one as he deftly juggled the four differently colored, brightly glowing balls of energy from one small hand to the other.

Filius was hopping up and down on his hospital bed in excitement, a rapturous gleam on his shining face, Albus, Severus and Poppy were surprised that Shaun had been able to change the color and the size of the balls in such a short period of time with absolutely no instructions.

"Oh I say, most excellent, those are spectacular, Shaun! I have never seen anything like that, I am so happy you shared those with me, child!" Filius looked up at the three adults who were watching with amazement, "You told me about his juggling, Severus, why are you looking like that?"

Severus turned his son's head up to face him, the balls disappearing immediately as his concentration changed focus. "When did you learn to make them different sizes and different colors, Shaun? When we saw them at Christmas, they were all small and all just white."

Shaun screwed up his face in concentration again and made one huge ball of energy appear between his outstretched and slightly cupped hands, he then closed his eyes and split it into five parts, two large blue ones, a medium sized yellow one and two very tiny balls, one red and one purple. He opened his eyes, the balls all disappeared and he grinned, showing his straight white baby teeth. "I figured out how to make five, Daddy!"

His daddy hugged him and then pulled back to look in the small face looking at him with such trust and love, "Yes you did, child, but _how_ do you make them different sizes and colors?"

Shaun just shrugged his shoulders in confusion, "I want them to be, and so they are!" Pure four year old logic precluded any more questions, as far as Shaun was concerned that was all the answer there needed to be!

* * *

Albus, Minerva and Severus were meeting with Kingsley Shacklebolt in Albus' office to discuss the ongoing investigation of Petunia and Vernon Dursley. They had been found living the high life in Vancouver, Canada and the Canadian ministry had them under surveillance. Their agents reported they had seen no sight of Harry Potter in the over five months the couple and their horribly spoiled brat had been living in their country.

Albus was leaned forward towards the other three, his elbows on his desk, fingers interlock, index fingers steepled in his favorite thinking attitude. "Unfortunately, our brand new minister is no longer willing to listen to reason. It is lucky that he had just been elected last July when the custody and adoption of Shaun was finalized in September or I'm afraid that Shaun would have wound up in some ministry orphanage. He has begun to be influenced by more and more of the old families, particularly those old families with money and influence. He seems to lose more of his common sense every day as he becomes more interested in the social standing and power he can gain by handing out favors and granting petitions."

"Luckily the matter of Harry Potter was magically sealed and bound after sixty days and he can never break the binding and divulge what he knows about it. I don't know if we can keep the news of the Dursleys trial from reaching the wrong ears, perhaps we would be best to pursue that matter in the muggle courts? What do you think, Severus?" Shacklebolt added.

Severus looked murderous, "I don't want what they did to Shaun to go unpunished, but I also don't want anyone to know that Shaun and Harry are one and the same. He would always be on public display; always that bloody '_boy-who-lived'_ nonsense and I don't want that for him. He has enough issues with overcoming the abuse, his becoming invisible and the phenomenal amount of magic he displays. I will do everything I can to keep him grounded, but you have to admit, he's not exactly what anyone would call normal!"

Everyone in the room chuckled wryly at the frustration evident in the poor father's voice. Minerva looked thoughtful, "Albus, the adoption is totally sealed, it cannot even be mentioned to anyone not already knowing about it except by Severus; am I correct in how that works?"

"Yes, that is how the magical binding on adoption works. The paperwork is sealed and filed and only becomes available when the child comes of age unless the adoptive parents divulge the information to another."

Minerva got a feral gleam in her eyes, "Why don't we allow the aurors to proceed as if the Dursleys killed and disposed of Harry's body. It will be up to them to prove that they didn't, I can't imagine they would want to take Veritaserum, they would have to completely acknowledge the treatment they gave the boy if they did that. We have abuse, abandonment, failure to notify the authorities, and whatever else they can think up. I think that would get them more than enough years of prison, don't you Severus?"

His evil grin matched hers for the menace implied, "Excellent as always, Minerva, let them try to explain exactly where their nephew went and how they had treated them. No one can connect Shaun and Harry unless I tell them, and I'm sure not going to, especially to the idiots at the Ministry! Albus, let's do it!"

* * *

Remus was back teaching Shaun after the March full moon when he began thinking ahead to the next year. He had been concentrating on muggle subjects as most wizarding children were before attending Hogwarts, but a staff meeting was called to discuss how to best teach Shaun magic. It was decided that the staff would merely be there to advise Remus until the summer holidays when they would have much more time to work individually with the child. Since there was so little of the school year left and it might be easier on Shaun if he simply got to know the staff and trust them more before they began any more formal arrangement.

Remus approached Severus over the Easter holidays. "Severus, Shaun is progressing remarkably well, except in socialization, he has no one his age in the castle. I am afraid he knows nothing about getting along with peers. I am able to keep up with him at this age, but by next year he really should have some playmates, and perhaps someone to learn with so he knows how to relate to other children. I am more than willing to teach more than one child, perhaps Albus knows other children his age that I could teach each day with him, I'm sure the elves could expand my rooms to whatever size we need."

Severus sighed, he had been thinking about the boy's growing dependence upon adults and his isolation from other children. "I suppose you are right, but I don't want him to leave the protection of the castle. After my public trial and acquittal when the Dark Lord fell, I still have quite a few death eaters that would like nothing more than the opportunity to either kill my son or use him to get to me."

"I agree with you, but I think we could have several children of the right age floo in each day and then return home at night without difficulty. I know that several people that were in the old Order would appreciate a safe place for their children each day. Would it be all right if I approach Albus about perhaps meeting some other children over the summer and then maybe inviting some of them to classes here next fall?"

"I agree, perhaps we could leave Shaun with Minerva and go discuss this idea with Albus, now?"

Minerva was happy to watch the boy and the two former enemies walked up the moving staircases to the headmaster's office, talking comfortably and familiarly along the way.

They explained their concerns and suggestions to Albus who agreed that it would be good both for Shaun to have some friends and schoolmates, and that he really shouldn't leave the safety of the castle. They still didn't know how he became invisible, but he would still completely disappear from view if he felt threatened in any way, he had even disappeared from Severus' view when he thought his Daddy was going to spank him after he spilled ink all over the essays his daddy was grading. It was the first time that Severus had experienced the disorienting occurrence of not seeing who he was talking to and he had to admit it was rather unsettling.

* * *

The thirteenth of April would always merit a circle on Severus' calendar, that was the day the governments of both Great Britain and Canada got off their bums and allowed Shacklebolt and two other aurors to apprehend the Dursleys and bring them back for trial before the Wizengamot. The entire trial took less than two full days between the abandonment and the fact that they couldn't provide any evidence of where Harry was now. Surprisingly they had been convinced by their attorney that by allowing the administration of Veritaserum they would be able to prove that they knew nothing of where their nephew was. They did prove that, but were totally unprepared for the prosecution's questions about the boy's treatment and downright abuse that they were also forced to admit to. They were both sentenced to ten years in Azkaban and Dudley was obliterated of any knowledge of his cousin and placed with the muggle social services, it being determined that his Aunt Marge would be an unsuitable guardian for anyone.

* * *

It had taken multiple formulations, exhaustingly long brewings and many complicated equations but the Wolfsbane potion was declared a total success after the May full moon. Remus had transformed with a lot less pain, curled up on a warm rug and slept the full moon away, no self inflicted injuries, and a greater sense of dignity and humanity than he had felt since he had first been bitten as a young child.

Severus and Poppy both hoped the poor man would finally be able to gain some weight on his skeletal form and actually get reasonably healthier. Severus had also formulated a special nutritional potion for Remus in addition to the one he was still brewing for Shaun who was finally catching up in height and weight to where he should have been. And Severus had actually flavored the potions, something that Poppy could never remember him ever even trying to do

The Ministry had been most impressed and quickly granted a patent and licensure for the potion in what for them would be record time. Severus felt immense pride and a sense of accomplishment he had never thought would be his as three different journals vied for the privilege of publishing his study. Not to mention the apothecaries clamoring to pay him for the formula to produce and sell the miracle potion.

* * *

At the end of May, Severus took Shaun's small hand in his and double apperated into the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. He stopped to straighten his son's robes before picking up the boy and striding toward the elevators to take them down to the courtrooms. Madame Bones had conducted a formal investigation and decided there was enough to charge Healer Smythwick from St. Mungo's with overstepping his authority to command a team of aurors to apprehend Severus Snape without due investigation and care. He was also being charged with assault and child endangerment.

It had been determined that the aurors were only following Smythwick's orders and they had no actual culpability since they were told to stun him without announcing themselves. They had been told that as a spy among the death eaters and a Dueling and Defense Master that he was considered armed and dangerous and was delusional enough that they would not be able to bring him to treatment any other way.

Madame Bones smiled at the small boy being carried by the formidable potions master, trying to reassure the nervous looking child. Her smile faltered and disappeared as the child vanished from view before her eyes. She had read the reports of course and knew that the child had been invisible, but it was definitely more disturbing to actually witness the event!

"Ah, Professor Snape, your son…he…disappeared." She didn't stutter, but it came close.

Severus glanced up at her, a wry smile twisting his lips, "Yes, Madame Bones, I have instructed my son that if he is in an uncomfortable situation where he doesn't feel safe, that he may still turn himself invisible until he feels safe again. He no longer disappears for long periods of time; I assume he will become visible when he gets more familiar with the surroundings." He looked down at his chest, "Won't you Shaun?"

Even though she expected it; she was still a little startled when a small voice came from nowhere answering, "Yes, Daddy, I don't like that man over there, he scares me!" Severus looked over in the corner to spot Mad Eye Moody among the contingent assigned to guard the courtroom today. Madame Bones followed his glance and laughed conspiratorially, "That's okay Shaun, he scares most people at least a little; he even scares me, and I've known him for years!"

Her easy laugh and the comforting squeeze from the man holding him allowed Shaun to relax enough to flicker back into view. Severus was so proud of his son, who remained clearly visible for most of the trial. The defense attorney's plan actually backfired when he bent too close to Shaun while questioning him about what had happened while he was building a snowman with his daddy, and questioned if he had actually even been there at all.

Shaun whimpered at the man's accusing tone and invasion of his personal space and vanished from view. Even Severus couldn't see him and was calling frantically to him despite the uproar in the courtroom. Shaun reappeared just as he launched himself at his daddy's chest and hid himself in the comfort of his robes. Shaun kept his head buried as the nice Madame Bones yelled at the scary man just like daddy did his dunderhead first year students!

Severus had inherited a sizable fortune from both his parents and his grandparents so the two thousand galleons damages that was awarded to him wasn't nearly as satisfactory as the three months in the ministry holding cells followed by a demotion and two years of probation that were also imposed. He felt vindicated and validated after winning his case so handily.

* * *

Severus sat at the farewell feast, his son sitting proud and visible on a raised seat between him and his Grandpa Albus. In just two short weeks, it would be the anniversary of Shaun's appearance in his lab. Severus reflected as he looked around the Great Hall, reflecting on how much his life had changed in such a short time, and all because of the one small precious soul sitting beside him. _Life was good_.

Remus looked out at the first place he had truly felt was home. He had gained weight and looked healthier than he had in years. The miracle of the Wolfsbane potion made sure he didn't spend any days recovering from the damage of the full moon. He was tutoring a bright child, he had made friends with someone he had once called an enemy and he would be living and working in the castle through the summer and the next year. He was not living from hand to mouth, always looking for employment and a place to stay for another month. _Life was good_.

Albus smiled down at the students, pleased with the progress they had all made, the house cup going to Ravenclaw, even though each house had more points than they had accumulated in a century. After Christmas he had allowed the students to float between the tables for breakfast and lunch and had been surprised and pleased to find all four houses mingling and losing more and more of their fanatical competition as the year progressed. He toasted his cup to the room at large and dismissed them, already looking forward to the Welcoming Feast for the next year.

_Life was good_.

The end.

* * *

There will be a sequel, I haven't decided if I want it to begin at age five, nine, or eleven. I am open to suggestions, and thanks for sharing my weird plot bunnies.

Teacherbev


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